The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 11 suspects, among whom two were alleged to have defiled a three and four-year-old girls.
Parading the suspects on Friday, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Amba Asuquo, said the 11 suspects were arrested for different criminal cases bordering on cultism, armed robbery, assault occasioning harm, burglary, stealing, impersonation, defilement and rape.
Asuquo said at Ologede area of the state, a man was reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters to have allegedly defiled a four-year-old girl.
According to the Commissioner of Police, the little girl cried to her mother and informed her that the alleged suspect removed her pant and forcefully had sex with her.
Asuquo said when the girl was taken to the hospital, it was confirmed that she had been penetrated and her hymen broken.
He said the man was arrested and assisting the police with its investigation.
Asuquo also paraded another suspect accused of defiling a three-year -old girl.
He said: “On May 30, the mother of the three-year-old victim returned home from hawking fish and discovered that her daughter was looking so rough and stressed.
“After a close examination, she noticed that there were some fluids on the pant of her daughter and further discovered that her daughter must have been defiled by an unknown person.
“The case was reported and the suspect arrested, while further investigation and medical examination showed that there was a penetration.”
The commissioner also said two other men were arrested while their accomplices escaped after allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl hawking sachet water at the Oja-Oba new Shopping Complex, Ado-Ekiti.
Asuquo said the two suspects and their partners, who were at large, lured the teenage girl into an uncompleted building and allegedly gang raped her.
He further disclosed that his men are closing in on the killers of a 78-year-old woman who was allegedly murdered in Ikere-Ekiti on May 29.
The commissioner said the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on May 31 upon receipt of information from a reliable source intercepted a 28-year-old man in Ado-Ekit suspected to be a member of a secret cult.
He said: “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of Neo Black Movement Of Africa called AYE Confraternity.
“One infinix phone was found in his possession, which he confessed to have been using to communicate with other members of the AYE secret cult that are involved in the ongoing killing of other rival secret confraternity groups in Ogun State, Lagos State and other states in Nigeria.
“The suspect’s house was further searched and a complete dress customised with the inscription of AYE Emblem and code ‘0147 was recovered.”
Asuquo said two other suspects were arrested for alleged armed robbery.
“These suspects and others at large armed themselves with guns and invaded the residence of one Ajetomobi Olawale at Oke-Oro Street, Ayetoro-Ekiti and allegedly robbed him of his Nokia handset valued at N15,000 at gun point,” he added.
A motorcycle parts dealer was also paraded over the alleged case of burglary and stealing.
Asuquo said the suspect broke into the shop of one Ejiofor Osai, located on Nova Road, Ado-Ekiti, and carted away different motorcycle/generator parts.
He said: “Among the parts stolen were timing chain, socket and chain, engine valve, battery, Chinoki bulb, piston, engine bearing and clutch cable valued at N200,000.
“However, it was discovered during investigations that the suspect had restocked his shop with all the stolen goods.
“Further investigation by SARS revealed that the suspect is a serial burglar who had broken into the shop of Ejiofor about seven times and carted away the sum of N420,000 and different types of motorcycle/generator parts worth N1.5 million.”
Asuquo said two of the suspects, both from Ife Olukotun Village, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State, were arrested at Omuo-Ekiti for allegedly impersonating military officers and assaulting a Police Constable, Awoniyi Lawrence.
He said: “The two suspects, who identified themselves as Captains in the Nigeria Army attached to 44 Battalion in Niger State, assaulted the Police Constable, beat him mercilessly and further threatened to break the Constable’s head with a bottle.
“During interrogation by the SARS Operatives, the two suspects confessed and claimed that the army uniform belonged to one of their brothers.”
He said investigation had been extended to the said Captain and all the suspects would be prosecuted upon completion of investigation of their respective cases.
The police commissioner advised residents to be security conscious, vigilant and report any untoward incident or happening observed to the nearest Police Station or call the Police Control Room number on 08062335577.
Asuquo gave an assurance that the police would at all times rise up to its responsibility to perform the statutory duty of protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens.