The Kwara State Police command has arrested five members of two different gangs of kidnappers in the state.
According to the police, the suspects had been terrorising Eruku and Oro-Ago in Ekiti and Ifelodun local government areas.
Speaking with journalists during their parade on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama said the command was on the trail of fleeing suspects, ammunition and ransom collected from their victims.
The suspects were identified as Babangida Buguda, 30, Bashiru Yakuba, 35 and Mohammed Umaru, 26, as well as Garuba Abubakar, a.k.a. Elero of Lokongoma village and Abubakar Adam.
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The police boss who described the “breakthrough as one of his happiest days since he resumed in the state”, said the suspects had confessed to have killed one Inspector Segun Ayegbulu of the NSCDC attached to Ekiti State Command.
He said exhibits found on them included two locally made guns and two telephone handsets.
“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 from Ekiti State identified the suspects and confirmed that they were held captive for six days and released after payment of N6m ransom,” Odama added.
Buguda, who was identified as one of the leaders of a gang, admitted being a kidnapper.
According to him, “I am a kidnapper and we once abducted three people and collected N2.1m as ransom for one elderly woman and two children from which I got N300,000”.
He said “The remaining balance was taken by six members of the gang and others who are now at large”.
