Police From Force HQ Fail To Arrest Suspects In Ilorin Sallah Stampede

A Special Police squad deployed from Force
Headquarters, Abuja to Ilorin, the Kwara State
capital, to investigate last week’s stampede at
the Ile Loke home of the Sarakis, did not yield
any arrests as the officers said the allegations
they were acting on, did not conform with reality. The police agents, it was learnt, visited the
state on Sunday evening to arrest the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in the state,
Ishola Balogun-Fulani, Yemi Afolayan
(secretary) and the state Publicity Director,
Mas’ud Adebimpe, according to sources in Ilorin. However, upon getting to the scene of the
stampede which left no fewer than 12 persons
dead, the officers were reportedly astonished
that what they saw did not tally with what
they were told. According to sources, the policemen
wondered how people could have suffocated
in a ‘mini-stadium’. Besides, “we could not see any broken down
wall or fence as claimed to be responsible for
the death of the people,” one of them was
quoted to have said. Reacting to the development, the state PDP
scribe, Mr. Afolayan said the Sallah day
stampede was being over-dramatized, noting:
“The venue had been in existence for some
time now but we are today shocked at many
wicked lies being said about Ile-Arugbo (Home of Charity).”

More than 50 feared dead in Kwara Sallah tragedy

More than 50 people were feared dead while scores
were reportedly injured on Wednesday night
following a stampede near the Ilofa residence
of a former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Unconfirmed reports indicated that no fewer
than 50 people were feared dead as a result of
the stampede. The incident happened when some members
of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state
and some other hangers-on were receiving
yearly Sallah gifts from the Sarakis and other
philantropists at the venue popularly called PDP
Charity House. An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said
the victims were allegedly lumped into
ambulances and rushed to a nearby hospital. He said that there were heavy casualties. Kwara State PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji
Mas’ud Adebimpe, confirmed the stampede
later in a statement. He, however, said only four PDP members died
while many were injured. Adebimpe said, "The Peoples Democratic Party
Kwara State chapter held its annual Sallah
celebration at PDP Charity House where many
party faithful were in attendance. "The event which is an annual activity of the
party went on smoothly until the unfortunate
incident of a stampede, which led to some
people fainting. They were immediately rushed
to a hospital few blocks away from the venue. "While some are currently responding
positively to treatment, we however regret to
announce that we lost four of our party
members to the unfortunate development. "Our prayers go out to the families of the
deceased and we pray for the quick recovery of
those that are responding fast to treatment,"
Adebimpe said. It will be recalled that similar cases of
stampede had occurred in the past at the
Mandate House,Ilorin where scores of people
died and many were injured.

KIDNAPPER WHO POSSED LIKE A MAD-MAN BURNT TO DEATH IN ILORIN

A middle-aged man who hid under the cover of insanity to carry out his nefarious activities was beaten to a pulp, then set ablaze by a mob at Odota area along Airport Road in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday evening. The victim, who acted mad to avoid detection, was nabbed while trying to abduct a nine-year old child. 

When interrogated, the suspect, who identified himself as Raimi Wasiu, a native of Osogbo in Osun State, confessed to being a kidnapper alongside seven others and blamed economic hardship for his predicament. He was also said to have confessed to be working for an Islamic cleric who lives around Hajj Camp, Ilorin. 

An eyewitness disclosed that "People of the area have been watching the man who lived in an abandoned building by the roadside. And true to their suspicion, he was caught attempting to abduct a little child". 

The mob, after dispossessing the victim of charms, rings and amulets, set him ablaze.