…Arrest 8 suspected illegal miners in Kwara***

Two suspects are now in the police net of the Osun Police Command for alleged possession of human hair and flesh.

This is contained in a statement of the police Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola.

Opalola said the suspects were arrested on Thursday in Ijebu Jesa, Osun.

”At about 9.30a.m, the police received a distress call from Oke Ana Area, on the Iwaraja Erimo Road, by members of the community of an offensive odour from the bush in their community.

“This prompted the police, led by the DPO of Ijebu Jesa Division to comb the bush and one Ojo Gbadebo and Babatunde Hamsat (both male) were arrested.

“Upon the arrest of these suspects, it was discovered in the bag that one of the suspects, was carrying; contained human hair and flesh.

“Both suspects and the exhibits recovered are presently at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation,” she said

In another development, the Police Command in Kwara has arrested eight suspected illegal miners and recovered three trailer loads of marble stones in the Patigi Local Government Area of the state.

The Spokesperson of the Command, SP. Okasanmi Ajayi disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Ilorin.

He said the suspects were arrested along the Share, Tsaragi and Patigi areas of the state on Oct. 30.

He said that the arrest was made possible following a petition and a letter written to the state Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama.

According to him, the residents of Patigi Local Government Area and the Association of Licensed Miners of Kwara State had complained that illegal miners had turned their ancestral lands into a beehive of illegal mining of mineral resources.

The situation, Ajayi noted, had resulted in ecological problems and sabotage to the economy of both the state and the Federal Government.

“Based on this petition, a team of police operatives was dispatched to the area to arrest and if possible, recover and impound any illegally mined minerals in the area.

“The police team swung into action and on Oct.10 at about 02:00hrs, the suspects were arrested with three trailer loads of suspected marbles illegally mined.

“The suspects are Abdulbagi Sadiq, Isah Amisu, Mohammed Idris, Alhassan Rabiu, Mohammed Abdulbagi, Ibrahim Balarabe, Mohammed Idris and Abubakar Tasiu.

” Exhibits have been recovered to the police headquarters, while the suspects, after interrogation and confessions, have been charged to court.

“The command is stating with all sense of responsibility that economic sabotage and any acts inimical to the health and security of lives and property of citizens would be resisted.

“The CP is therefore advising the good people of Kwara State to cooperate with the police to rid the state of all forms of criminality,” he added.