Police arrest officers over murder of Kwara varsity student

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of several officers in connection with the alleged killing of a Kwara State University student, Suleiman Olayinka, in the state.

This comes barely three weeks after the dismissal and prosecution of three police officers over the alleged murder of a Kwara Polytechnic student, Quoyum Abdulyekeen.

Twenty-seven-year-old Olayinka was allegedly killed by policemen on Tuesday at around 2:00 pm in the Tanke area of Ilorin.

According to sources at the scene of the incident, three policemen were involved in the incident that led to the killing of the undergraduate.

The sources said the incident occurred when the victim got off a motorcycle and was approached by three officers, who then dragged him to the ground.

Another witness said that the deceased had come to collect N1,000, which he had already transferred to a point-of-sale operator to settle the fare for the Okada rider who brought him.

“I was with him. As soon as he got the money from a PoS operator, the officers came out of a tricycle and dragged him to the ground. The victim kept asking what offence he had committed, but they didn’t let him speak.

He pleaded with the officers, informing them that he was asthmatic, but they ignored his pleas,” the source said.

The state’s police spokesperson, DSP Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, confirmed the incident, saying that the police were already aware and had taken action.

Ejire-Adeyemi said in a brief statement issued on Friday, “The Kwara State Police Command is aware of this unfortunate incident, which led to the sudden death of Suleiman Olayinka (M), 27 years old.

“A complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust was reported against the deceased. Police detectives were immediately assigned to investigate the case.

“Meanwhile, the officers involved in the incident have been identified, arrested, and detained for further investigation regarding the death of the suspect.

“Further updates will be provided promptly as investigations unfold.”

Prior to this development, Quoyum Abdulyekeen Ishola, a 21-year-old student of the Electrical Electronics Engineering department at Kwara State Polytechnic, was allegedly murdered by the police during a stop-and-search operation at Fate area, Ilorin, on September 4, 2024.

Following the student’s death, the Kwara State Police Command arrested and dismissed three police officers, including Abiodun Kayode and James Emmanuel, both former inspectors, and former sergeant Oni Philip.

The three former police officers were subsequently charged to court and are undergoing trial at the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.