The Osun State Police Command has arrested five suspects in connection to the murder of a filling station manager.

The suspects confessed that they were paid the sum of N500,000 to kill the Mobil filling station manager in Osun State.

They are now being detained for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, murder and membership of an unlawful society.

The five arrested suspects include Adamo Aliyu, 24 years, Damilola Kayode, aged 22 years, Yusuf Idris, 22 years, Odewumi Sodiq, 26 years and Adeshina Ayomide, 38 years.

Briefing journalists on behalf of Olawale Olokode, the Osun Police Commissioner on Thursday September 14, at the Command headquarters, Osogbo, the Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola revealed that the gang members were nabbed after police personnel from Ikire Area Command received a distress call on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

Opalola said: "Upon a distress call/intelligence on 3/9/2022, that there was a robbery attack/operation at Koteyemu/Aku area of Ikire, the Police from Ikire Area Command in joint operation with the Civilian Joint Task force (Hunters and Forest Security Service, Osun State) swiftly moved to the area and arrested a suspected notorious Armed Robber one ADAMO ALIYU having robbed his victim.

"The Police not resting on their oars extended its investigation to some areas of Ikire where three cohorts of the principal suspect above (2-4) were picked-up/arrested from their various hideouts within the town."

The police spokesperson also disclosed that when the case was transferred to the Anti-Cultism Unit for discreet investigation, the unit immediately swung into action and arrested the fifth suspect.

He said: "In the course of further investigation, the 1st suspect Adamo Aliyu made a confessional statement that on 28/08/2022 himself, Damilola Kayode, Yusuf Idiris, Odewumi Sodiq (1st to 4th Suspects) respectively conspired among themselves and killed the Mobil filling station manager, one Fatai Atanda Adigun ‘M’, aged 55yrs, along Ikire express road, in Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State and carted away sum of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).

"On 2/09/2022 the same hoodlums suspected to be members of unlawful society also conspired among themselves again and robbed one Barr. Oyeyinka Musafau ‘M’ of Oke-Olufi Area, Ikire, Osun State and carted away his One Infinix Mobile Phone valued N110,000 (One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) and some valuable items, value yet unknown.

"Also, sometime in the month of August, 2022, the 1st – 4th suspects and others at large robbed a cyclist and killed him in front of Irewole Local Government building along Ife/Ibadan Road, Ikire.

"They further robbed some traders along the university area, Ikire/Iwo Road, Ikire and carted away cash of N600,000 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira). They also robbed another cyclist and killed him while they carted away his motorcycle.

"1st – 4th suspects respectively alleged that the 5th suspect Adeshina Ayomide who was one of the staff of the Mobil Filling Station, was the one who sponsored them with the sum of N500,000 (Five hundred thousand naira) only in order to kill the Mobil Filling Station manager in Ikire, Osun State in order to cover up the fraud /misappropriation of the money amounted to the sum of N2, 170,000 (Two million, one hundred and seventh thousand naira) which he was involved sometimes in the year 2018."

Exhibits in their possession include axes, saw blade, spanner and other fabricated weapons.