A twenty-eight-year-old student of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode, Azeez Ibrahim, who was arrested by the Ogun State Police Command in his room where assorted firearms were found, has claimed innocence of the crime.
He stated that he once saw the weapons in the room, and discovered they belonged to his friend named Qudus, who was also residing in the house with him.
According to The Nigerian Tribune, it was reported that the student claimed that he was unaware that Qudus, who is currently at large, had one of the keys to the room they shared with a friend. He admitted to the mistake of not informing law enforcement agents when he first encountered the arms upon returning from his family home in January.
The student, identified as Ibrahim, was one of the suspects that were recently paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu. He was accused of being an armourer for cultists in the Aiye Confraternity, allegedly involved in serial attacks on students and innocent members of the public within and around the Ijebu Ode axis.
However, while Azeez Ibrahim was talking, he insisted that he did not know anything about the guns, but found them in the room he was staying with his friend, Caleb, who was not even around when he discovered them. He claimed the weapons belong to a housemate who is on the run.
He said he is from Ikereku in Abeokuta. His parents are in Lagos State, and he was born there. Azeez said he was studying Library and Information Science in TASUED, and he ought to have graduated in 2021, but he had a carryover and got an extra year. He started living in the house when he was in his first year in the university. And Caleb later joined him and he (Caleb) was the one paying the rent when he finished from the school.
He said, “I came back for the extra year in 2022/2023 and took permission to squat with him. On December 24, last year, Caleb and I travelled to our different family homes. We left Qudus behind. He was occupying one of the rooms in the house and was engaged in cobbling.”
Further talking, he said, “When I was called and congratulated that I passed my exams, I came to school to do final clearance on January 14 this year. As I opened the door, I saw two bags and opened them. I was shocked when I saw that they contained guns. I remembered that Qudus was left in the house.”
“I went to look for him and confronted him about what I saw. He admitted that the bags with the guns belonged to him and that he would come and pick them. I didn’t remember to tell Caleb.”
When he was asked why he did not inform the police about what he saw, Azeez Ibrahim claimed that it was a mistake by him.