… Family demands justice

… Police arrest one

Tension gripped Shagari axis of the Akure South Local Council Area of Ondo State following the gruesome killing of a renowned refrigeration and air conditioning technician, Idris Abiodun Clement, who was murdered by armed robbers during a violent attack on his residence in the early hours of Sunday.

The 47-year-old father of five was fatally injured after confronting the robbers who had invaded his compound around 1 a.m. after dispossessing some residents of their valuables.

The armed robbers, who were said to be three in number, had attacked two other houses in the area before forcefully gaining entry into Clement’s family compound, with the deceased technician, confronting one of the assailants, unaware that the gang was heavily armed.

While speaking on the incident, one of the deceased’s sons, AbdulFatai Clement, described the attack as devastating.

“The armed robbers came into our street around 1 a.m. and started robbing residents. They had robbed about two other houses before they came into our house in full force.

My father did not want to leave anything to chance, so he confronted one of the robbers to defend the family, not knowing there were about three or four of them and that they were heavily armed.

“They attacked him with axes and cutlasses before one of them brought out a gun and shot him. The robbers fled immediately after he collapsed. We had to rush him to the hospital, but he had lost so much blood. The doctors later confirmed him dead”, he said.

A close friend of the deceased, who identified himself simply as Hakeem, described the incident as a painful and senseless killing.

He said Idris was widely known for his generosity and willingness to support people in legitimate businesses.

The widow of the deceased, Taibat Clement, appealed to the state government and the security agencies not to allow those responsible for the killing of her husband to escape justice.

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command said one suspect had been arrested in connection with the robbery and murder.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the suspect was arrested by security operatives and is currently assisting with the investigation.

“We have arrested a suspect in connection with the violent attack on residents of Shagari and the killing of the technician,” Abayomi said.

He added, “The suspect is currently in our custody at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCID) and is assisting the police with the investigation.