Badoo Gang Hits Kwara, As Police Arrest 13 Suspects in Ilorin

No fewer than 13 suspects, including two female, have been arrested by the men of the Kwara State police command for allegedly being members of the Badoo confraternity.

The suspects, according to sources on Monday, were arrested following a clash that ensued between Badoo confraternity and vigilante group in Ilorin, the state capital.

The suspects, sources said, were mostly indigenes of Ilorin, and were arrested at various locations in Adeta, , Oloje, Pakata, Omoda, Ita Kudimo, Alfa Yahaya, Ita-Amo and Isale Jagun where the clash actually took place.

A source close to the police told journalists on Monday that the leader of the suspects was said to be on the run  while those in custody would be charged to court this week.

The suspected cultists were said to have organised a prayer programme and hired the vigilante men to keep watch during the event.

But a member of the vigilante group in the area claimed that they were on a peace mission to settle the fight among the boys when they came under attack.

“The event started well, but it got to a point when no one could understand the message being passed by those boys among themselves. They all wore white T-shirt with Badoo inscribed on it,” a source in the area said, pleading not to be identified in public, and that efforts by the vigilante men to unravel what was happening was met by an attack from the cult members.

The source said: “To disperse the crowd, the Badoo boys shot sporadically into the air and just as the vigilante men were trying to calm the situation, the boys shot at the security men. However, to the surprise of everyone, the vigilante group kept deflecting the bullets by brushing it down.”

The development attracted men of the Adewole Police Division and other security agents who came and arrested the suspects. They were said to have been immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department at the state Police headquarters.

When contacted, spokesman for the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the arrest and expressed concern that residents of the Isale Jagun did not make formal complaint on the existence of members of the confraternity in the community until the ugly incident took place.

According to him,   “It was when the situation got out of control that they called the attention of the police to rescue it.

“Our patrol team swung into action and made some arrests on the fateful day and many more arrests are being made in connection with the matter. Based on the strength of information we got, the suspects wore T-shirt with Badoo inscription.”