The Police Command in Ekiti on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the leader of a Vigilance group in the state, Mr Femi Ogunleye, and six of his members for allegedly and illegally arresting and torturing a man to death.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Caleb Ikechukwu, who confirmed their arrest on Wednesday, said members of the suspected vigilance group had been terrorising residents of Ado-Ekiti.

Ikeckukwu said one of the arrested members was its leader, Ogunleye, 43, fondly called Akilapa.

He said the command operatives arrested Ogunleye and his gang members in the early hours of Monday while being in possession of a fresh lifeless body of a middle-aged man, identified as Oke.

He said the suspects were arrested while attempting to bury the remains of the deceased within the premises of Ogunleye’s residence in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.

The police spokesperson named the other suspects as Simon Oluwaghohunmi,35, Muhammadu Saradeen, 36, Ojo Muri, 30, Peace Okon, 44, Sola Sunday, 20, and Ogunleye Onaopemipo, 20.

He said the suspected gang members on July 29 allegedly accosted the victim at Post office area in Ado-Ekiti and forcefully took him to his house where he was tortured to death.

“The gang had been charged for cultism and unlawful arrest of innocent Nigerians, their latest victim was unlawfully accosted and taking away on July 29.

“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) received the information of illegal arrest and torture going on at Ogunleye’s house located on Omisanjana road in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti capital.

“When men of SARS arrived at his house, the dead body was found and a tomb that had been dug for its interment within the premises of the building was discovered, ” he said.

“Upon further investigation, particularly when the operatives of SARS stormed Ogunleye’s hideout, the suspects were found involved in unlawful arrest and torture of one Oke, whose surname and address are yet to be known.

“The torture, we discovered resulted in his death at the suspects’ hideout located at Omisanjana area of Ado Ekiti.

“The corpse was recovered therein on June 30 at about 5 a.m. and deposited at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital’s morgue for autopsy, while investigation into the case is ongoing,” he said.

He said that police recovered from the suspects one pump Action Gun Breech Number 000574 loaded with seven Live cartridges; police belt; three cutlasses; one long stick; a sword; three battle axes; one iron rod carved like local gun; Ifa divination tools and a mini-laptop computer. (NAN)

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