The Osun State Police Command has made significant breakthroughs in its fight against violent crime, with the arrest of suspects linked to the murder of Olalekan Oyeyemi Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir, alongside other cases of armed robbery, burglary and communal killings in Ile-Ife and its environs.
Briefing journalists at the Command headquarters in Osogbo on Sunday, 19th October 2026, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Zungura, psc(+), mnips, said the Command received a distress call on 13th September that armed men had stormed Mayfair Garage in Ile-Ife, firing sporadically and killing Emir. A fatal motor accident was also recorded around Energy Filling Station along the Ile-Ife-Ibadan road in the course of the attack.
The Commissioner said he immediately directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the investigation. Through sustained work by the Homicide Section and with support from the Amotekun Commandant, four suspects were initially arrested. Further investigation led to the arrest of Hammed Olalekan Dauda, also known as Jagaban, who was found with a cut-to-size firearm. The police said Jagaban confessed that the gun was given to him by one Nurudeen Alowonle, leading to the arrest of Waliu Adejare, also known as Jay Jay, who is said to be Alowonle’s personal assistant.
In total, six suspects are now in custody for the murder case. They are Tijani Ismail, Akinsola Ekundayo, Sijuade Moruf Oyinlola, Ayeni Adegbola Olalekan, Hammed Olalekan Dauda and Waliu Adejare. According to the police, all of them were mobilized by Nurudeen Alowonle and Adeyemi Ojo, also known as Sibi, who are currently at large. CP Zungura said efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing kingpins.
On the Command’s fight against robbery, the police also arrested a six-man gang that has been operating across Osun, Oyo and Lagos States. The suspects are Olaiya Sunday, 27, Akintunde Mariam, 28, Agoro Kudus, 27, Timileyin Idowu, 23, Adekunle Ibrahim, 30, also known as Oshodi, and Temitope Opeyemi, 29.
The police said on 24th September at about 3pm, operatives of the Swift Action Squad on stop and search at Akinlalu, Ipetumodu along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway stopped an unregistered red Bajaj Boxer motorcycle ridden by Olaiya Sunday. While being interrogated, two persons arrived and identified him as one of those who robbed them of their unregistered ash-coloured TVS lady motorcycle and three phones. Olaiya was arrested while his passenger fled into the bush.
Investigations revealed that the gang left Oje-Igosun in Ibadan with two Bajaj Boxer motorcycles, accosted their victims in Ile-Ife, accused them of belonging to an unlawful society and dispossessed them of an iPhone 13, an iPhone 11, an Infinix Smart 10 and the motorcycle. The suspects reportedly confessed to selling stolen motorcycles to one Seriki at Mokola in Ibadan and stolen phones to Oshodi in Lagos. Mariam, the only female among them, was arrested for allegedly using her NIN to register SIM cards for the robbers. On 14th October, detectives arrested Agoro and Timileyin who had earlier been held by Oyo State Anti-Cultism Section, and later picked up Adekunle Ibrahim and Temitope Opeyemi at Yemetu, Ibadan, recovering five stolen phones including iPhone 13, iPhone 11, Infinix Smart 10, Infinix Smart 8 and Itel Android phone. The stolen TVS motorcycle is yet to be recovered.
The Command also arrested 32-year-old Adeosun Gbenga at Ifo, Ogun State for burgling a Jumia pickup station at Ifo on 22nd August and carting away several phones and gadgets. The Cybercrime Unit of the State CID recovered an iPhone 13, five Android phones, a tablet, two headsets, two watches and chargers from him. Police said Gbenga confessed to the crime and had previously been remanded for a similar offence.
On the communal clash at Alapa Village along Toro Road, Ile-Ife, the Command arrested one Oniyefa Olayemi in connection with the killing of four persons between 4th and 5th October. The case was reported at Police B Division, Modakeke, by a complainant whose mother, 40-year-old Toyin Olagbaju, was killed when about ten armed men invaded the village.
Preliminary findings showed the clash was between two rival groups allegedly led by Awosunle Tosin, who is at large, and Emmanuel Agunbiade, also known as Abore, over a vast cocoa farm. Detectives who visited the scene recovered two Dane guns, one small axe, eleven expended cartridges, one live cartridge, three empty shells of AK-47 ammunition, two empty shells of LAR ammunition, one empty shell of assault rifle ammunition and some locally made charms. The deceased have been identified as Toyin Olagbaju, Emmanuel Agunbiade, one Akeem and one Ademola, also known as Small.
CP Zungura warned against resorting to violence and use of illegal firearms over land disputes, urging residents to use lawful means and report suspicious activities. He assured that all suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations and that no effort will be spared in bringing all criminals to book.
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