Six middle-aged rice harvesters were yesterday arrested by the Kwara State Police Command. They allegedly killed their landlady, who owned a farm, and stole her 11 bags of rice.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore, told journalists at the police headquarters that the deceased rice farmer, Mrs Florence Ede, had hired the six men to harvest the rice on her farm in Yashikira, Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner said that Mrs Ede went to the farm with the six labourers, identified as Kofi Kawku, Ali Sabi, Ali Dauda, Gomina Umaru, Abubakar Basira and Ayuba Adamu, and harvested the 11 bags of rice.
The work lasted till night, when Mrs Ede paid the labourers and told them to go, and that she would sleep in the farm and leave the next morning. The six men came back at midnight, beat the woman to death and took away the bags of rice.
He said the six suspects have been arrested with the 11 bags of rice, a Golf car used in conveying the bags and the stick with which they killed the woman, adding that they have confessed to committing the crime.
The Police Commissioner also told journalists that three suspected members of Eiye and Ayesecret cults, who have been terrorising Ilorin residents have been arrested.
The suspects, Ibrahim Imam, Saliisudeen Imam and Saheed Mubaraq, according to him, confessed to have been involved in series of attack that led to many deaths in the state capital.
He added that three live cartridges and charms were recovered from them.
Also, yesterday, the Command disclosed that it has set up a committee that will address the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state.
The committee, according to the Police Commissioner, comprised the divisional police officers in all 16 local governments, chiefs and farmers.
