Operatives of the Ogun Police Command and other local security outfits have arrested nine members of an alleged notorious kidnap syndicate terrorizing Abeokuta-Ayetoro road in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state.
They were apprehended on Sunday when Police, local hunters, So Safe Corps, OPC, vigilante and men of Amotekun corps, stormed their hideout at Abule oba, off Ayetoro road Abeokuta.
The suspects are, Hammed Taiwo, Kehinde Jimoh, Umar Sanda, Sanda Aliu, Ali Morandu, Usman Abubakar, Usman Mohammed, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu.
The Police Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi on Monday told newsmen in Abeokuta that the suspects were arrested, following a credible intelligence gathered by policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju divisional headquarters.
Oyeyemi said the Police had gathered that Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh who are commercial motorcyclists, running errands for the kidnap syndicate, were sighted somewhere in Rounder area of Abeokuta North local government.
He said following the intelligence gathering, the DPO Sabo/Ilupeju division, SP Mustapha Opawoye, quickly moblised his men and moved to the area, where the duo of Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh were apprehended.
“On interrogation, they confessed been part of the syndicate, but their own role is to run errands and watch the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from getting to them unaware,” Oyeyemi said.
He said their confession led to the discovery of the hideout of group at Abule oba, off Ayetoro road, “where they always met after collecting ransom from their victims.”
Oyeyemi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were responsible for kidnap incidents Abeokuta/Ayetoro road.
He said some of the victims have identified the suspects as their abductors.
He said, “Having discovered the hideout, the DPO mobilized his men, so safe corps, OPC men, local hunters and men of Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that, the suspects are the group terrorizing Abeokuta/Ayetoro road in recent time. Some of their victims have been able to identified them as their abductors.”
Oyeyemi quoted the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, who expressed satisfaction about the intelligence based investigation carried out by his men which led to the arrest of the hoodlums.
He, however, said the CP had ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti-kidnapping section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation.
