The Oyo State Police Command yesterday said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction of the children of a popular Islamic cleric in the state, Alhaji Taofeeq Akewugbagold, which occurred on Saturday night.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed the abduction of the children who are twins, said the command has intensified efforts to rescue them.
He said: “Yes, there was an abduction of Akewugbagold’s twins yesterday (Saturday) night. Four suspects have been arrested and the suspects are assisting the police in investigations.”
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the suspects comprised Akewugbagold’s personal driver and gatekeeper as well as two of his followers who have been identified as sermon interpreters.
Akewugbagold had posted the news of the abduction of his twins on Facebook early morning of Sunday, saying the mother of the twins suffered delayed childbirth for 12 years before she could give birth to them.
The abducted twins; a boy and a girl are aged two and four months.
Akewugbagold, is the immediate past Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) and a popular Islamic cleric.
He wrote on his Facebook page; “What a country! My twins were kidnapped at gunpoint at my Ojoo residence, Ibadan, around 8p.m on Saturday,” adding that the twins were kidnapped 10 minutes after he left his house for a studio to record some lectures.
A source close to the family told reporters in Ibadan on Sunday that Akewugbagold left his house at Ojoo for a studio to record some lectures and that when he got to Sasa, he received a call from his wife and mother of the twins, informing him that armed robbers came to their house and that she managed to call him from a room upstairs.
When she stepped outside, she saw that the gate of the house was wide open and later discovered that the intruders actually drove into the compound.
The source explained the gatekeeper was arrested based on allegations that he did not wait for the night guard to resume before he left and probably left the pedestrian gate open.
