The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a farmer, identified as Adegoke, for allegedly beating a suspected thief to death in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred in the Mile 10, Ore area, where Adegoke reportedly confronted a group of individuals he accused of stealing his farm produce.
According to sources, Adegoke claimed the group, who hailed from the neighboring Aba Tuntun community, had been repeatedly stealing items from his farm, including his motorcycle.
Witnesses said Adegoke managed to apprehend two of the four individuals he found on his farm.
In the ensuing confrontation, one of the suspects reportedly died from the assault, while the other was hospitalized.
“Adegoke, popularly known as Ariya, had been losing cocoa pods, kola nuts, plantains, and other produce to theft for a long time. On this occasion, he caught two individuals on his farm and accused them of stealing,” a source, who requested anonymity, revealed.
Following the incident, Adegoke was arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Akure for further investigation.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, confirmed the arrest, stating that investigations were ongoing.
According to her, Adegoke’s wife had alerted him about the presence of intruders on the farm, leading to the confrontation.
However, the complainant argued that the group was on the farm to gather snails, not to steal.
The police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death and the alleged theft.
