The police alleged that he sold ammunition to the robbery gang which attacked commercial banks in the FESTAC Town area of Lagos State and the Agbara area of Ogun State...
This is just as the family accused the police of framing Opeyemi, saying that there was no reason he should be kept away from his family members.
PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday, December 14, that Opeyemi, who hails from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, was arrested in a hotel on Pillar Street in the Okeriya, Ikorodu area when he went out with friends.
The suspect’s elder sister, Febisola, who said the police did not allow the family members to see Opeyemi since the day of the arrest, had claimed that the police demanded N300,000 from the family to secure his bail.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, had confirmed the arrest of Opeyemi, adding that he was apprehended by the Inspector General of Police monitoring team from Abuja, for a serious case of robbery.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Friday that Opeyemi, who is said to have finished from a government technical college, was arrested by the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team and had been taken to the Force headquarters, Abuja.
Our correspondent gathered from a police source in Abuja that Opeyemi, who was arrested with three other suspects, allegedly sold ammunition to the robbery gang which struck commercial banks in the Ipakodo, FESTAC Town and Lekki areas of Lagos during the year.
The source said the police would not demand N300,000 from the family for Opeyemi’s bail, as the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, was aware of the the case, which he said was a high-profile case.
He said, “The suspect is one of those that sold ammunition to the robbers who attacked banks in the FESTAC Town and the Agbara area. He was arrested along with three others after they had been tracked to the location. He also sold two Berretta pistols and one pump-action gun. He then took the guns to the robbers in a creek in Ikorodu. The police have all the evidence against him. His arrest is known to the IG.
“The man can never be released on bail. He and the others will be charged to court. Six of the bank robbers have been arrested too.”
However, the family lawyer, Quadri Oladapo, told PUNCH Metro that no allegation was strong enough to have warranted keeping the suspect from his family members for over three weeks.
The lawyer claimed the police framed his client.
He said, “This man was arrested and detained since November 28. You can imagine what could have happened to him during this period. The police have no right to keep him away from his family if there is nothing secretive about their activities.
“You don’t put a suspect in custody and concoct evidence against him. The police have to establish a link between these robbery incidents, and the arrest of Opeyemi.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, confirmed that suspected robbers and sellers of ammunition were arrested by the SIRT, but declined to give names.
She said, “I can confirm to you that some suspects linked to the robberies have been arrested, but investigation is ongoing. I cannot give names for now, as investigation is still ongoing on the incident.”
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