Court remands suspected mastermind of Kwara killings

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

A Magistrates Court in Ilorin, the Kwara Sate capital, has remanded one Akinola Babatunde, 35, in police custody for an alleged attack on a community in the state.

Babatunde had been on the police wanted list for his alleged role in the attack on Odo-Owa community, Oke-Ero council area of the state, leading to the death of three persons.

The suspect was alleged to have led some hoodlums to attack the community during the 2019 Egungun festival celebration.

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Akinola was arraigned in court for criminal conspiracy, mischief, rioting, being armed with deadly weapons, and culpable homicide.

Police said the suspect alongside nine others had been on the run since 2019 after an attack on Odo-Owa and its neighboring communities, leading the police to declare him wanted.

Prosecution counsel Isa Amotekun prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the outcome of the ongoing police investigation.

Magistrate Olaolu Abayomi ordered the remand of the suspect at the state CID, and adjourned the matter till October 8, 2020 for mention.