Chiemelie Ezeobi
The trio of Adebowale Johson, Oluwadara Segun, Amos Loko, all Nigerians and a national of the Republic of Benin, Vidiyong Taiye, yesterday revealed how they hatched and kidnapped a Chinese expatriate, Kumming Hyang.
According to the suspects, they had over the course of a year planned on how to abduct a victim for ransom but their plans were aborted due to some unforeseen circumstances.
They however re-strategised recently and picked a new victim, this time the Chinese expatriate, following information from Loko, who also worked with the victim.
According to Loko, he had zeroed in on the Chinese in a bid to ensure a handsome ransom, but their plans were foiled when they were arrested before they could demand for ransom.
The 26-year-old said: “After our plans failed last year, I continued my job as a driver. It was recently I called back my gang and told them that we would pick up my boss.
“The plan was that as soon as I resume work by 5a.m, they will use advantage of the open gate to come in and pick up my boss. Our plans worked and we took him to a forest behind our house at Igando, Ibeju, Lekki.
“I was arrested after one Ken, who is a contractor with my company, called in the police and they arrested me as a suspect. It was during interrogation that I confessed to the police.”
However, the trio of Johnson, Segun and Taiye, who maintained their innocence, claimed that although Loko contacted them for the job, they didn’t actually participate.
The expatriate, who works for GMC Construction Company, in Lekki was abducted by the four-man group on Sunday, May 29, after they had ambushed him at Igando Oloja Elemoro in Ajah.
As soon as the information filtered in to the police, a crack team from the the Elemoro Police Division were put together and deployed to comb the area for possible location of the criminals.
Soon after the manhunt launched by the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, the suspects were arrested four days later and the victim rescued hale and hearty.
Confirming the arrests to THISDAY, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police, said, “On Sunday, May 29, 2016, a case of kidnap was reported in Elemoro Police Division.
“It was a case of a Chinese man who was whisked away by armed men to an unknown destination. The command moved into rescue operation immediately the case was reported.”
“This is to send a signal to to criminals that it is no longer business as usual because the command is riding the state of bad eggs.”
Badmos said the command is also on the trail of the other fleeing members of the gang, adding that they would all be charged to court at the appropriate time.
