The Kwara State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping agents have detained five suspected kidnappers.
The five suspects are members of two distinct kidnapping gangs.
Babagida Buguda, 30, a kingpin, Bashiru Yakuba, 35, and Mohammed Umaru, 26, are all members of the first gang.
The suspects were described by the state police commissioner, Paul Odama, at the state police command headquarters in Ilorin on Wednesday. According to him, they were detained on December 20, 2022, in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The police chief said that two guns made locally and two cell phones were among the things that were found on them.
“On the 9th of November 2022, at about 5:45 p.m., one Mr. Shina Luke Abiodun of Eruku town in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State and another, while riding on a motorcycle on their way from Egbe in Kogi State, were accosted at Koro village near Eruku town by men numbering about six, who emerged from the bush armed with guns and other dangerous weapons,” claims Odama.
“The thugs opened fire on them, injuring them with gunshots.” But they managed to flee the attack and make their way to the kidnapping patrol squad that was stationed in Eruku town.
One Tecno phone was found after the squad arrived on the site. On December 20, 2022, the kingpin and two of his gang members were apprehended in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara state, after forensic analysis of the phone by the investigators.
The police commissioner said that when the suspects were questioned, they admitted that they were behind kidnappings in the states of Ekiti, Kogi, and Kwara, in that order.
“One of their victims and his six-year-old son came from Ekiti State to identify them and confirm that the accused held them hostage for six days and wouldn’t let them go until they paid N6 million.”
The police commissioner said, “The accused also admitted to having slain one Inspector Segun Ayegbulu of the NSCDC posted to Ekiti Command.”
He said that more investigation led to the recovery of two locally made pistols, and that efforts are still being made to catch the members of the gang who are still on the run and take the other weapons they are carrying.
The second group of alleged kidnappers, including Garuba Abubakar, alias Elero, of Lokongoma Village and Abubakar Adam of Ile Nam, Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, were caught in connection with the alleged kidnapping of 15-year-old Abubakar Mohammed along Oke-Ode-Share Road in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
“On December 12, 2022, intelligence available to the command indicated that one Abubakar Mohammed, 15, was kidnapped along Oke-Ode-SShare road, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State,” the Police Commissioner writes in his account.
The State Intelligent Bureau (SIB) and regular police from the Oke-Ode Division were sent by the Commissioner of Police in response to the report.
Two members of the kidnapping ring, Garuba Abubakar, nicknamed Elero, of Lokongoma village and Abubakar Adam of Ile Nam Oke-Ode, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State, were apprehended after a thorough investigation.
He revealed that they admitted paying the victim’s N500,000 ransom and receiving it.
CP Paul Odama says that two suspects who were caught admitted that the gang’s leader, Chairman Rabiu, was always in charge of the gun and ransom money. Rabiu is still at large.
He said that while efforts are being made to have him apprehended, the other suspects would soon be charged in court.
