Looting: 144 Suspects In Police Net In Kwara

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Security operatives in Kwara state have arrested 144 suspects in connection with the last weekend looting of government and private properties in Ilorin, the state capital.

This is just as the state government relaxed the 24 hour curfew imposed on the state capital.

The curfew has been relaxed to between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Monday, the state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said that the arrest of the suspects was as a result of combined efforts of security agencies operating in the state.

Egbetokun, who confirmed that two government warehouses and lots of privately owned properties were attacked by the hoodlums, said that the violence was well coordinated and led by hardened criminals.

He said large quantity of looted property have also been recovered, including two vehicles used to cart away loot.

Egbetokun called on those who still have looted property in their possession to voluntarily surrender them, adding that such people would not be prosecuted.

The CP said that such looted property could be submitted at various religious centres like mosques, churches and even residences of community heads.

He said that arrest of suspects is a continuous process, adding that, “as we are here, more arrests and recoveries of looted property are still being made”.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, after a security council meeting with heads of the security agencies in the state on Sunday, has reviewed the 24 hour curfew imposed on the state to between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.

The statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said that:

“A review of the situation in the ilorin metropolis suggested a relative calm. The meeting observed that the objective of the curfew has largely been achieved as the misguided elements who looted and vandalised public and private properties have been pushed back and normalcy restored.

“Consequently, the security council resolved to relax the curfew from 24 hours to between 6p.m. and 8 a.m. daily until further notice. This means members of the public can move around between 8 a.m. and 6p.m. daily within the metropolis.

“Even so, the government will continue to review the situation and take decisions that are in the best interest of the state”.