The Oyo State Police Command says it has arrested a masquerade identified as Asoleke over the alleged gruesome killing of a 24-year-old man, Sefiu Kehinde, during a traditional masquerade procession in the Labiran area of Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
The Command in a statement on Monday endorsed by the Public Relations Officer of the Oyo Police Command, Ayanlade Olayinka, said that the Asoleke masquerade is now cooling in custody, while four of his alleged accomplices are on the run.
The arrest, followed the outrage triggered among residents by the incident which occurred on Sunday when the deceased was reportedly attacked with dangerous weapons by the masquerade and some of its followers.
According to the statement, the case was first reported at the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters by Mrs Aderemi at about 4:00 p.m. on Sunday who disclosed that she received a distress call from her elder sister, alleging that the Asoleke masquerade and its followers, while parading through the Labiran community, descended on her younger brother, Sefiu Kehinde, attacking him with axes and cutlasses and inflicting severe injuries on several parts of his body.
The statement added that the victim was evacuated to a hospital for emergency treatment but was confirmed dead on arrival by the attending medical doctor.
It further pointed out that the crime scene was processed, and necessary documentation collected as part of the ongoing investigation.
The statement further revealed that the body of the deceased was released for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, following a request by the family.
The statement further made public that the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbemiga, has directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation.
It assured residents that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and urged members of the public to remain calm while cooperating with security agencies by providing credible information that could aid the investigation.
