One of the suspected looters of Iseyin Police Station in Oyo State, Raheem Toheeb, on Wednesday confessed that he took two cartons of beer and a generating set at the station during an attack last week.
The 28-year old suspect said the two cartons of beer were shared among the protesters during the ‘struggle’ but that the generating set was returned after the youths leader in the town directed them to return all looted items.
Toheeb, however, denied joining others to set the station ablaze.
The suspect made the confession when the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Nwachukwu Enwonwu paraded nine suspects over the last week attacks on police stations across the state.
Other suspects arrested are Taoreed Hamsat, Tajudeen Ibrahim, Moshood Fatai, Musibau Abubakar, Sikiru Aliu, Fasasi Fatai, Isiaka Olaniyi and Adeleke Akeem.
Addressing reporters at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, Enwonwu said the suspects were among those who carted away arms and ammunition in various looted police stations in the state.
He listed the items stolen to include one generating set, Nino wall clock belonging to the division, one Bajaj motorcycle, one Hero 125 motorcycle and a TVS motorcycle with registration number; DGB215QK.
The CP said: “Consequent upon the looted stations, six police officers were gruesomely murdered, five divisional police headquarters, police patrol vehicles were burnt down and exhibits looted in exhibits rooms with many police arms and and ammunition carted away due to activities of criminal elements who capitalized on the protest to perpetrate their heinous crimes.
“Nevertheless, the Oyo state police command has arrested no fewer than nine suspected arsonists and looters for allegedly attacking the divisional police headquarters, Iseyin and setting the station ablaze under the pretext of #EndSARS protest that lingered for many days.
“In light of this, the command would continue to put up spirited efforts to arrest all other hoodlums who have carried out massive looting and coordinated attacks on police stations and personnel.”
The Nation