Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
A couple and five other people who confessed to the recent kidnapping of the twins of a popular Islamic cleric in Oyo State, Sheikh Taofeek Akeugbagold, were yesterday paraded by the state Police Command.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, while addressing journalists at the Command headquarters at Eleyele, Ibadan, said the suspects in the sensational case of the kidnapping of the 2-year-old twins of the cleric were arrested with substantial parts of the ransom collected with gun used for the operation; the two operational vehicles and one motorcycle recovered from them.
The police boss described the seven armed robbers cum kidnappers as a syndicate terrorising members of the public within Ibadan metropolis and other parts of the state.
According to him, “The notorious criminals attacked Akeugbagold’s wife and subsequently abducted his young twins to an unknown destination. The criminal assailants later demanded a ransom of N50million before the two abducted babies would be released.
“As soon as the incident was reported at Ojoo Police Station, and later transferred to AKS Eleyele/SARS office in Dugbe, Ibadan, a team of AKS/SARS operatives swung into action, while concerted efforts were intensified to rescue the abducted toddlers and arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
“The abducted twins were released unhurt eight days after their father had parted with an alleged sum of N4million as ransom to the hoodlums.
“Consequent upon this, the investigating team embarked on a painstaking detailed discreet investigation and traversed several states, including Adamawa and Sokoto, and in the process, the following members of the notorious armed robbery cum kidnapping syndicate, who later identified themselves as Rilwan Taiwo, Rafiu Mutiu, Olumide Ajala, Fatai Akanji, Bashiru Mohammed, Opeyemi Oyeleye and Rafiu Modinat, the only female member of the gang, who was detailed to take care of the babies while in captivity, were all arrested in their respective hideouts in connection with the crime,” the commissioner narrated.
Exhibits found on the suspects included one locally-made single barrel; eight cartridges; two Micra cars; an unregistered TVS motorcycle and the sum of N2, 863,000.
