Police sources revealed that the deadly gang was busted after painstaking intelligence and arrested at Satellite town area of Lagos State after they had kidnapped two businessmen, Okechukwu Ebere and Iduchukwuebuka Emmanuel and obtained N12m ransom from them before they were released.
It was gathered that the suspects had on 20th March, 2022, abducted the victims at Satellite town and kept them in captivity until ransom was paid before their release.
However, unknown to them the Police intelligence were on their trail until they were arrested recently and detained at the SCID, Yaba, for interrogation over their activities in the State.
During interrogation, they reportedly admitted to have committed the alleged offence and mentioned some of their members now at large. But unfortunately, the ransom they had collected from the victims were not recovered from them because they had already shared the money among the members of the gang.
They were subsequently charged before the Yaba Magistrates Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment if they are tried and found guilty before the Court.
But they pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Rita Momah, asked the Court to give a short date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Adeola Olatunbosun, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
They were remanded in custody pending when they will perfect their bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 26th August, 2022, for mention.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects, who are now in custody included, Benjamin Okoi, 24, Simon Emmanuel, 27, Benjamin Emmanuel, 27, Christopher Cosmos, 24 and Nche Augustine 31.