Police arrest another ‘notorious kidnapper’ in Ogun

Operatives of the Ogun Police Command have arrested a fleeing suspected kidnapper, Usman Aliyu, at Onigbedu forest in Ewekoro LGA of the state.

The police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Sunday told newsmen in Abeokuta that the suspect was a member of a notorious kidnap gang terrorising some parts of the state. 

Oyeyemi said he was tracked following the recent arrest of two members of a deadly kidnap gang at Onigbedu forest, which led to an aggressive bush combing exercise by men of the command.

According to him, the suspect was arrested following information received at Ewekoro divisional headquarters that he was sighted on a commercial motorcycle in Onigbedu area moving towards Papalanto en route to Lagos. 

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He said following the tip-off, the DPO Ewekoro division, CSP Sunday Opebiyi, mobilized his men on stop and search along the road and the suspect was identified and arrested. 

Oyeyemi said during interrogation, he confessed to being a member of the kidnap gang, whose two members were earlier arrested and a victim rescued from them. 

He said, “He informed the police that they were six in number, and that when two among them were apprehended, the other members ran in different directions in the forest.

“But since policemen are not relenting in searching for them in the bush, he decided to come out and take a commercial motorcycle out of that vicinity. 

“He confessed further that their gang was responsible for the kidnap of one Owolabi Abiodun and one Fakorede Kazeem at Kipe village, Idi Ori, Abeokuta, on October 7, 2022, but Fakorede Kazeem was killed by the gang because he was unable to walk fast while they were in the bush.

“The gang, according to him, also kidnapped the duo of Adekunle Esther (10) and Adekunle Adebayo (15) at Olomowewe Street, Abeokuta on October 10, 2022. 

He confessed further that on October 19, 2022, the gang kidnapped one Mrs Famurewa at Abule Ijaye Soyooye, Abeokuta, at the entrance of their house after killing her 65-year-old husband, one Festus Famurewa, and released the wife after collecting ransom. 

“Also on November 16, 2022, the duo of Olatunji Azeez and Osoba Moroof, were kidnapped by the gang at Olujobi town Itori and were later set free after collecting ransom.”

 Oyeyemi said, “the victims, including the two kids, have come forward to identify the suspects as those who abducted them.”

 He quoted the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, as commending members of the public for supporting the police by giving them useful information. 

He assured that other members of the gang would be fished out wherever they might be.