The Kwara Police Command has apprehended five members of two different gangs of kidnappers who are causing havoc in the state.
The State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Paul Odama, revealed this on Wednesday when he spoke with journalists during a parade of suspected criminals in Ilorin, saying that the command was on the trail of fleeing suspects, adding that the police were also able to recover arms and money from their victims.
The suspects are:” Babangida Buguda ‘male’ 30 years, Bashiru Yakuba ‘male’ 35 years, and Mohammed Umaru ‘male’ 26 years, as well as Garuba Abubakar ‘male’ a.k.a. Elero of Lokongoma village and Abubakar Adam ‘male’”.
The Police Commissioner said that the suspects had confessed to having killed one Inspector Segun Ayegbulu of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, attached to Ekiti State Command.
He also said that the suspected kidnappers had been terrorizing Eruku town in the Ekiti Local Government Area, Oro-Ago town in the Ifelodun Local Government Area, and Oke-Ode–Share road in the same Ifelodun Local government areas in the state, as well as in Ekiti and Kogi states.
CP Paul Odama also said that exhibits found on them include two locally made guns and two telephone handsets.
He said: “On 9/11/2022 at about 1745hours, One Mr. Shina Luke Abiodun ‘male’ of Eruku town in Ekiti local government area of Kwara state, and one other while riding on a motorcycle on their way from Egbe in Kogi state were accosted at Koro village close to Eruku town by men numbering about six, who emerged from the bush armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
“The hoodlums opened fire on them and they sustained gunshot injuries. They however escaped the attack and ran to the Anti-Kidnapping patrol team, stationed at Eruku town.
“The team moved to the scene and one Techno phone was recovered. Forensic analysis of the phone by the investigators led to the arrest of the kingpin and two of his gang members in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state on 20/12/2022.
“The suspects confessed, during interrogation, to have been responsible for kidnapping operations within Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara states respectively.
“One of their victims and his six-year-old son who came from Ekiti state to identify the suspects confirmed that they were kidnapped and held captive for six days by the suspects and were released after payment of N6 million”.
The Police boss added that one Abubakar Mohammed ‘male’ 15 years old, was kidnapped along Oke-Ode–Share road in the Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state on 12/12/2022 by the second gang of suspected kidnappers.
“This prompted the Commissioner of Police to dispatch a team of State Intelligent Bureau (SIB) and conventional Police from the Oke-Ode Division.
“Diligent investigation led to the arrest of one Garuba Abubakar ‘male’ A.K.A. Elero of Lokongoma village and Abubakar Adam ‘male’ of Ile Nam Oke-Ode, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state who are members of the kidnapping syndicate. They confessed to having been the collector of the N500,000 ransom paid by the victim.
“The leader of the gang, one Chairman Rabiu ‘male’, who is presently at large, is said to have the gang’s firearm and always in the custody of all ransom collected as confessed by two arrested suspects.
“Effort is on top gear to get him arrested. All the suspects will soon be charged to court”.
The Police boss, who warned criminal elements to leave the state, said that the command would not make the state comfortable for criminals.
“Therefore, criminal elements are advised to leave Kwara state as plans are firmly on the ground to make Kwara state hot and uncomfortable for criminal elements,” he further warned.
The commissioner of Police also said that exhibits found on them include two locally made guns and two telephone handsets.
He said: ”On 9/11/2022 at about 1745hours, One Mr. Shina Luke Abiodun ‘male’ of Eruku town in Ekiti local government area of Kwara state, and one other while riding on a motorcycle on their way from Egbe in Kogi state were accosted at Koro village close to Eruku town by men numbering about six, who emerged from the bush armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
“The hoodlums opened fire on them and they sustained gunshot injuries. They however escaped the attack and ran to the Anti-Kidnapping patrol team, stationed at Eruku town.
“The team moved to the scene and one Techno phone was recovered. Forensic analysis of the phone by the investigators led to the arrest of the kingpin and two of his gang members in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state on 20/12/2022.
“The suspects confessed, during interrogation, to have been responsible for kidnapping operations within Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara states respectively.
“One of their victims and his six-year-old son who came from Ekiti state to identify the suspects confirmed that they were kidnapped and held captive for six days by the suspects and were released after payment of N6 million”.
The Police boss added that one Abubakar Mohammed ‘male’ 15 years old, was kidnapped along Oke-Ode–Share road in the Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state on 12/12/2022 by the second gang of suspected kidnappers.
“This prompted the Commissioner of Police to dispatch a team of State Intelligent Bureau (SIB) and conventional Police from the Oke-Ode Division.
“Diligent investigation led to the arrest of one Garuba Abubakar ‘male’ A.K.A. Elero of Lokongoma village and Abubakar Adam ‘male’ of Ile Nam Oke-Ode, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state who are members of the kidnapping syndicate. They confessed to having been the collector of the N500,000 ransom paid by the victim.
“The leader of the gang, one Chairman Rabiu ‘male’, who is presently at large, is said to have the gang’s firearm and always in the custody of all ransom collected as confessed by two arrested suspects.
“Effort is on top gear to get him arrested. All the suspects will soon be charged to court”.
The Police boss, who warned criminal elements to leave the state, said that the command would not make the state comfortable for criminals.
“Therefore, criminal elements are advised to leave Kwara state as plans are firmly on the ground to make Kwara state hot and uncomfortable for criminal elements,” he further warned.
