The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 15 suspected kidnappers that have been unleashing a reign of terror on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko, paraded the suspects before journalists at Eleyele, Ibadan, the state capital, on Thursday.
Her words: “Owing to the rising cases of kidnapping along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the ugly incident of a case of kidnapping and murder that happened at Onigari area of Lagos expressway on the January 7, 2022, the Oyo State Police Command immediately swung into action through the swift deployment of intelligence and tactical assets.
“These led to the arrest of one Bashiru Abubakar, alias Maku-Maku a syndicate member of the kidnapping gang terrorising Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, on January 14, 14/1/2021 at about 3:30p.m.
“During interrogation, the arrested suspects mentioned one Babuga Umaru, one Bellel, one Ibrahim, one Buyo, one Habu Kosoko, one alias Ontop, one Danliti, surnames yet unknown now at large, that have carried out the kidnapping operations that caused the death of one Oluwatosin Anwajoye, aged 45years at Onigari area of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on the January 7, 2022.
“He confessed that, he used his motorcycle to convey one Bellel , and one Ibrahim on January 6, 2022 at about 2000hrs and they alighted in the bush at Onigari area of Ibadan-Lagos Expressway before they struck on the January 7, 2022.
“He also confessed that he was the person that supplied the syndicate foods and hard drugs while they were in the forest. He concluded that after the kidnapping operation, the victims one Olaleyele Folahan ‘m’ and one Sakinat Tiamiyu ‘m’ have identified the suspects to be part of those that kidnapped them.
“Preliminary investigation of all the suspects arrested so far in the case revealed that they all have knowledge of the kidnapping operations that took place on January 7, 2022, and the forensic analysis of their phone numbers linked them up with the crime and there is nexus between them and the suspects at large. All the suspects are undergoing further interrogation for possible arrest of the fleeing suspects and recovery of their weapons.”
The second batch of suspected kidnappers also paraded before journalists comprised six persons that allegedly operated at some points along Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
Onadeko stated: “Proactive measure adopted by the state command to flush out and abate kidnapping in the state and painstaking effort led to the arrest of one Aliyu Umaru, and one Isiaka Ibrahim. The interrogation of the duo led to the arrest of one Tambaya Usman Shehu, at his hideout at Akimbola area of Bodija Ibadan on January 27, 2022 at about 0230hrs, who also belongs to another syndicate of the kidnapping gang, terrorising Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to be a kidnapper and that the roles they played in two different kidnapping and armed robbery operations along Ibadan-Lagos Highway. Tambaya Usman Shehu, confessed that in one of the kidnapping cases, his syndicate collected a ransom of N3.5million. He also mentioned his syndicate members, who are presently on the run.
But the duo of Isiaka Ibrahim and Aliyu Umaru, were arrested with Two Bajaj Boxer motorcycles, bought purposely for kidnapping and being used by the syndicate for their kidnapping activities. They both confessed to the crime and admitted they had carried out kidnapping on Ibadan-Lagos Expressway with Tambaya Usman Shehu.
Two among their victims, Olaleyele Folahan, and one Sakinat Tiamiyu identified Tambaya Usman Shehu to be part of those that kidnapped them.
The third batch of alleged kidnappers are Adamu Abdullahi, 25; Umaru Faruq Mohammed 25; Sanda Bawu, 22; Abubakar Siddiku;23; Haruna Musa, 25; and Aliyu Abubakar, 26. They were alleged to be the ones carrying out kidnapping activities, in the forest around Onigambari, Mamu and other link-roads around Idi-Ayunre Ijebu-Ode Road. The Commissioner of Police said they were arrested at their rendezvous point in a brothel at Akinyele area of Ibadan on January 11, 2022 at about 2:30a.m.
Two among the suspects, Umar Faruf Mohammed, and Sanda Bawu, had earlier been arrested on July 10, 2021 in connection with the kidnapping of one Alhaji Garba Monde, at Iwere-Ile area of Oyo State and were arraigned along with two other suspects before a Chief Magistrate Court Six, sitting at Iyaganku on July 19 2021, with charge no: MI/723C/2021.
“They were remanded at Abolongo c?correctional centre but escaped on October 23, 2021, during Abolongo correctional center jail break. Adamu Abdullahi confessed his roles in most kidnap operations along Idi-Ayunre/Ijebu-Ode Road. Investigations are ongoing to round up the rest of the criminal ring in no time,” Onadeko stated.
The Oyo State Police Command also paraded some suspects in connection with armed robbery, and burglary.