The Osun State Police Command has arrested 10 persons over two separate incidents of alleged criminal violence in Modakeke and the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.
The arrests were made as security agencies intensified their activities in the state ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Four of the suspects were arrested in Modakeke, located in the Ife East Local Government Area, following allegations of attempted murder, conspiracy, assault occasioning harm and illegal possession of firearms.
Those arrested are Olufemi Olatunji, 39; Ajayi Idowu, 31; Akingbala Oluwakemi, 40; and Adekunle Basirat, 40.
The suspects were apprehended at about 2am on August 9 after the police received a petition concerning the alleged offences.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, announced the arrests in a statement issued on Wednesday.
During searches carried out at properties linked to the suspects, the police recovered two firearms, comprising a locally fabricated cut-to-size gun and a pump-action firearm.
The command said the locally manufactured weapon was found in Basirat’s shop, while the pump-action gun was recovered from Oluwakemi’s residence.
The police identified Basirat as the wife of Solomon Akinlabi, popularly known as “Indomine”, and Oluwakemi as the wife of Akingbala Akindele, also known as “Ostand”.
The four suspects remain in custody while detectives investigate their alleged roles in the incident, according to the command.
In a separate development, six persons were arrested over the reported invasion of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.
The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit after armed men allegedly stormed the institution, an incident that reportedly left two students injured.
The police gave the names of the suspects as Ajoba Akorede, 27; Adam Oseni, 27; Ogunrinde Ayomide, 21; Ogunlana Muheez, 26; Ajose Noah, 25; and Adeniyi Damola, 25.
According to the command, Akorede and Oseni admitted during questioning that they were members of the Aye confraternity. Police, however, said it was still investigating whether the two suspects were students of the polytechnic.
Ojelabi said investigations were ongoing in both cases, noting that the suspects would face prosecution after the conclusion of the investigations.
The command also said its operatives were making efforts to locate and arrest other persons suspected to have participated in the Modakeke incident.