ETIM EFFIONG
Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested nine members of a notorious kidnap syndicate terrorising residents of the state.
Crime report from the command specified that the syndicate had been operating along Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road, where many residents have been kidnapped.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspects were apprehended on Sunday, April 24, 2022, from their hideout at Abule Oba, Off Ayetoro Road, Abeokuta, by men of the command in cooperation with local hunters, So-safe Corps, Oodu’a Peoples Congress, vigilante, and Amotekun Corps.
He said the suspects are Hammed Taiwo, Kehinde Jimoh, Umar Sanda, Sanda Aliu, Ali Morandu, Usman Abubakar, Usman Mohammed, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu.
According to Oyeyemi, the suspects were arrested following a credible intelligence gathered by policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju Divisional Headquarters.
He added that two of the suspects, Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh were their errand boys, who operated on motorcycles.
He said, “These two suspects were sighted somewhere in Rounder area of Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state, and the Divisional Police Officer, Sabo/Ilupeju, SP Mustapha Opawoye, quickly mobilised his men and moved to the area, where the duo of Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh were apprehended.
“During interrogation, they confessed to being part of the syndicate, ‘but their own role is to run errands and watch the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from getting to them unawares.’
“Their confession led to the discovery of the hideout of the group at Abule Oba, Off Ayetoro Road, where they used to meet after collecting ransom from their victims.
“Having discovered the hideout, the DPO mobilised his men, So-safe corps, OPC men, local hunters and men of Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place, where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were the group terrorising Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road in recent times, stating that some of their victims have been able to identify them as their abductors.”
Meanwhile, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, expressed satisfaction about the intelligence-based investigation carried out by his men, which led to the arrest of the hoodlums.
He has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the Anti-kidnapping section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.