Police operatives from the Lagos State Command have arrested three suspected kidnappers including a woman for allegedly kidnapping a businessman and obtaining millions of Naira as ransom after keeping him in capacity for four days.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects, David Goodness, 40, Emmanuel Chukwunonso Focus, 36 and a 32-year old woman, Ogunsakin Temitope Elizabeth, were arrested in a hideout in Ejigbo area of Lagos after they kidnapped, a businessman, Ezerioha Timothy Uche and collected ransom before he was released.
The suspects reportedly abducted the man and kept him in captivity at an undisclosed location, where they negotiated with his relations and insisted that the ransom must be paid in US Dollars.
They were said to have accosted the victim on the way, pointed their AK-47 at him before they abducted and kept him in captivity at an undisclosed location for days before they opened up contact for negotiations.
The family of the victim raised about $6,600 US Dollars, which amounts to millions of Naira before the victim regained freedom from captivity.
The matter was reported to the Police Intelligence team at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos for investigation. The operatives promptly moved into action, arrested the suspects and detained them for interrogation over the alleged abduction.
According to Police sources, during interrogation, the Police discovered that the suspects were part of a kidnapping syndicate, which specialized in kidnapping business with networks that cut across and behold Lagos State.
They were subsequently charged before the Yaba Magistrate Court for conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping under the Criminal Laws of the State.
However, when they were arraigned, the Court did not take their plea after the prosecutor, Inspector Modupe Olaluwoye, moved a motion asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the offence.
The Presiding Magistrate,, Mrs. Linda Balogun, ordered their remand in custody at the Correctional Centre pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be made available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.