How Police Smashed 9 Members Of Notorious Kidnapping Syndicate
CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Nine suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate, who had been terrorizing Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road over a period, were smashed on Sunday 24th April, 2022, in their hideout at Abule oba, off Ayetoro Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a joint operation by security agents.
P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the joint operation by men of Ogun State Police Command in collaboration with local hunters, So Safe Corps, OPC, vigilante and men of the Amotekun Corps, was successful and lasted for several hours.
The suspects were identified as Hammed Taiwo, Kehinde Jimoh, Umar Sanda, Sanda Aliu, Ali Morandu, Usman Abubakar, Usman Mohammed, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu.
This was disclosed by the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects undergoing interrogation in Police custody.
DSP Oyeyemi stated that the arrest was made following a credible intelligence gathered by Policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju Divisional Headquarters, that Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh, who were errand okada riders to the kidnapping syndicate, were sighted somewhere in Rounder area of Abeokuta North Local Government area.
“Upon the information, 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 being part of the syndicate, but their own role was to run errands and watch the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from getting to them unaware.”
“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.”
“Having discovered the hideout, the DPO mobilized his men, So Safe corps, OPC men, local hunters and men of the Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested.”
DSP Oyeyemi said: “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”.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has expressed satisfaction about the intelligence-based investigation carried out by his men, which led to the arrest of the hoodlums and has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to Anti-kidnapping Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.
