In a recent development regarding the kidnapping and murder of Brigadier General Olusegun Aremu-Cole, the alleged kingpin of the kidnap syndicate, Pa Banji Olowofela, along with 12 other suspects, has been arraigned in a Magistrate Court by the Kwara State police command.
Olowofela, an octogenarian, was arrested on February 5, 2024, following a tip-off by a member of the syndicate who had been arrested in Ijowa Ekiti, in Ajoni Locall Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ekiti State.
The Olukoro of Koro was killed in his palace during an attempted kidnapping, while his wife and two other natives were abducted. The Kwara State Police Command, along with other security personnel, swiftly reacted to the incident, leading to the arrest and arraignment of Olowofela and his accomplices.
The suspects, including Adefalolu Ayodele, Tewasi Francis, Babatunde Samuel, Miracle Solomon, Godwin Joseph, Issa Number, Abraham Kehinde, Muhammed Bello, Muhammed Muhammed, Ahmadu Umaru, and Muhammed Dankai, were charged with the alleged murder of the Olukoro of Koro. The charges against them include criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, kidnapping, and giving false information.
During the arraignment, the Magistrate, Mrs. Monisola Kamson, ordered that the suspects be remanded at a Federal Correctional Service facility in Ilorin, the state capital. The case has been adjourned until March 5, 2024, for further hearing.
The Kwara State police prosecution, led by Abdullah Sanni, requested the Court to remand the suspects, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges against them. The police charge sheet revealed that the suspects had pointed a gun at the Olukoro, ordering him to follow them. However, when he resisted, his grandson was able to escape through the backdoor, while the suspects proceeded to kill the monarch and kidnap his wife and another individual named Mercy.