The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the release of Olori Iyabo Aremu, wife of the Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti, late Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole and her maid identified as Feranmi, who were abducted after the gruesome murder of the monarch by some gunmen last Thursday.
The release, on Monday night, of the monarch’s wife and the maid kidnapped along with her was confirmed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in the command, Ejire-Adeyemi Adetoun, on Tuesday.
The statement also said 13 suspects were arrested by the police in the course of the rescue operation.
“The Kwara State Police Command wishes to update the good people of Kwara on the case of assassination of the Olukoro of Koro Kingdom, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, who was gruesomely murdered in his palace on February 1, 2024.
“In the course of investigation, the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun, approved the deployment of a police chopper for aerial surveillance. This is to help comb the forest/boundary between Kwara and Ekiti states.
“A joint operation comprising the police, military, DSS, vigilante/hunters who tirelessly combed the forest yielded positive results. This operation led to the successful rescue of the wife to the late monarch and one other at about 22:30hours of 05/02/24. The rescued kidnap victims have been re-united with their families, hale and hearty.
The operation also led to the arrest of 13 male suspects who are presently in custody.
“These suspects are undergoing vigorous interrogation with a view to aiding the arrest of members of the gang at large.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, remains resolute, maintaining his stand that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will face the full wrath of the law. He further urges the public to be calm and security conscious as they go about their daily activities without fear or anxiety”, the statement said.
The suspected gunmen killed Oba Aremu-Cole, the Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti, in his palace on Thursday night while his wife and another lady were abducted.
The gunmen were also said to have reached out to the monarch’s family for the payment of N100m ransom which was reduced to N40 million for the release of the two captives.