*as Commissioner warns against rising Teen crime
From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Kwara State Police Command, has arrested 16 suspects for various offences, including kidnapping, murder, armed robbery, defilement, drug trafficking, and child abuse, within the last month.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, disclosed this in Ilorin recently while briefing journalists on the recent achievements of the command.
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He said the police also recovered 50 live rounds of AK-47 ammunition during coordinated operations across the state.
Ojo explained that the arrests were the result of credible intelligence, inter-agency collaboration, and technology-driven policing.
“We have dismantled several criminal networks through intelligence-led operations and have recovered significant exhibits in the process,” he said.
Among those arrested, according to the commissioner, were six suspected kidnappers and a homicide suspect accused of beheading a motorcycle mechanic. Several others were also arrested for offences related to defilement and illicit drug trade.
Ojo expressed deep concern over the growing involvement of teenagers in violent and sexual crimes in the state.
“It is worrisome to see our youths, even minors, getting involved in serious criminal activities,” he lamented.
He cited two recent cases: a 15-year-old, Falade Ebenezer, who allegedly raped a 10-year-old girl in the Adewole area, and a 17-year-old, Ridwan Oseni, accused of defiling a five-year-old child. Both suspects, he said, had confessed to the crimes and would be prosecuted upon the completion of investigations.
The Commissioner appealed to parents, teachers, and religious leaders to strengthen moral guidance for young people, stressing that the police alone cannot address the moral decay fueling juvenile crimes.
“Our society must rise to the challenge of rebuilding values among children. Crime prevention begins at home,” Ojo stated.
