The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Joko Pelumi, accusing him of being involved in the killing of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Akingboju Akindele, in the Ijede area of Lagos State.
The command also arrested 48 other suspects for the alleged murder. The state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, on Monday said Akindele, who was a member of the command’s Anti - Cultism Squad, was killed when he and other members of the team went to Ijede to arrest some wanted cult members in the area.
He explained that suspected members of the cult waylaid the team and killed Akindele in the process. He said the command immediately commenced investigation into the death of Akindele, adding that the investigation led operatives of the command to the house of the former speaker, Pelumi, where the suspects were arrested.
Imohimi said, “This is an unfortunate case because it involved the killing of a Deputy Superintendent of Police attached to the Anti-Cultism Squad of the Lagos State Police Command.
"On Saturday, October 27, around 4.30 pm, a team of Anti - Cultism policemen attached to the Area N in Ijede, Ikorodu, were attacked while trying to arrest some suspected cult members.
"They had gone to a location where the cult members had organised initiation rites to arrest four notorious cult members who were on the wanted list of the command.
"After arresting the four cult members, they were on their way out of Ijede when other members of the cult regrouped and attacked the police team. In the process, DSP Akingboju Akindele was killed and his AK-47 rifle was also snatched from him.
"When I got this report, I quickly mobilised the commander of the Area ‘ N’ Anti -Cultism Squad and intervention teams from the state command headquarters to move to Ijede with strict instruction to ensure that all suspects involved were arrested.
"They did just that and fortunately, the move paid off. The regent of the town was interrogated and he stated that the suspects were currently hibernating and being offered a safe haven at the residence of one Honorable Joko Pelumi, who was a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Eventually, 49 persons were arrested on the premises of Pelumi’ s house, including the ex-Speaker.
"Further activities and investigation by my men led to the recovery of the police rifle where it was buried at the waterfront somewhere in Ijede. Investigation carried out so far by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department has narrowed the killing to five of the cult members.
"The five suspects physically killed the DSP, while others were accomplices who aided and abated it. "Of course, Honorable Joko Pelumi, whose house they went to take refuge would be treated as accessory after the facts. Our case file is ready and before the end of today, the suspects would be charged to court. ”
However, the suspects protested against being paraded with the gun, saying no rifle was recovered from them when they were arrested at the ex -Speaker' s residence. They also protested against the decision of the command to exclude Pelumi from the parade.