Fidelis David in Akure
Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have apprehended five persons suspected to have abducted a traditional head, High Chief Mukaila Bello, and three others on the Owo/Ikare-Akoko road in the state.
THISDAY reported that the victims were travelling from Akure to Ikare on August 4 when the assailants attacked them around Ago Paanu village, shooting the driver of the vehicle in the head and abducting other occupants of the vehicle.
Among others kidnapped by the gunmen were a former state House of Assembly candidate for Akoko North-East constituency, Adeniran Adeyemo; Chief Gbafinro and a community leader, Bashiru Adekile.
Parading the suspects alongside 26 others yesterday at the Police Command headquarters in Akure, the state Commissioner of Police, Oyediran Oyeyemi, said the victims were kidnapped and held hostage for three days in the bush.
He said: “On August 4, 2022, at about 1830 hour, based on information received that a gang of kidnappers of about seven attacked a Toyota Corolla car with Registration number: KAK 818 AE at Ago-yeye on Ikare/Owo road, and four people (three male and one female) were kidnapped and held hostage for three days in the bush.
“Upon the receipt of the complaint, men of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in synergy with that of Oyo State Police Command swung into action, which led to the arrest of Ilyasu Lawal, 27; Mohammadu Abubakar Sidi, 26; Garuba Bature, 36; Abubakar Dangy, 20, and Mohammed Mosere, 25.
Oyeyemi said three barrel guns; five live cartridges; two face masks, and two jack knives were recovered from them while the suspects confessed to the commission of the crime
The commissioner said his men have also arrested a suspect, Babatunde Adeoye popularly known as ‘Para’, believed to be a supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who last Tuesday shot four people at Ojota area of Odode- Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area.
“On August 16, 2022, a complainant reported that a group of boys numbering about five led by one ‘Para’ shot sporadically into the air and robbed him of his bag containing a large sum of money (amount unknown). The Bullet hits Sakari Yakubu on the back; Basiru Idris on his hand, and Mrs. Akinbadewa Omolayo on her leg.
“The gang leader Babatunde Adeoye (AKA Para) has been arrested. Effort is on to apprehend other members.
“On August 6, 2022, at about 0230hrs, three armed robbers invaded Ago Lisa Camp via Ayede Ogbese, and broke into the house of the complainant, stole his TVS motorcycle with registration number: AKR 829 WL. Combined efforts of policemen and hunters led to the arrest of the suspect who was shot on the leg while combing the bush, as others took to their heels.
“In the same vein, on August4, 2022, at about 05:20p.m., a case of armed robbery was reported at ‘A’ Division Owo, where the victim was attacked by two armed men at gun point along Owo/Benin expressway inward Molenge road on motorcycle and was robbed of the sum of N2,350,000.
“On receipt of the complaint, police detectives swung into action and arrested Akeem Adams, 32, and George Okon, 35, while a cut-to-size locally made gun was recovered from the suspects,” he stated.
He noted that forensic investigation also led to the apprehension of one robbery suspect, Promise Ekenwa, in Lagos State, and a Toyota Picnic was recovered from the suspect who had changed the plate number and colour of the vehicle.
