Police Inspector, Balogun Kidnapped By Bandits

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A Police Inspector attached to Igando Division, Balogun Johnson, may have to prove to the Court how he was kidnapped while he was on duty by suspected kidnappers in Lagos.

 P.M.EXPRESS reports that Balogun alleged that he was abducted by suspected kidnappers on the street while on duty at night and taken to an unknown place where he was eventually rescued in Lagos.

The alleged incident happened at Igando on 28th June, 2020, during the lockdown over Covid-19.
Balogun alleged that he was kidnapped and taken away in an unregistered tricycle and inflicted with injuries during the abduction. But it was not certain what Balogun went out to do before he had an encounter with the kidnappers which raised suspicion that he might have gone for an illegal duty before he had encounter with the suspects.

One of the suspects, Faruk Alabi, has been arrested and charged before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for kidnapping which attracts several years of imprisonment if he is tried and found guilty before the Court.

The Police alleged that Alabi and others now at large conspired, kidnapped Inspector Balogun and took him to an unknown place where they hit him with stone and injured his ear before he was later rescued.

Alabi pleaded not guilty to the charge before the Prosecutor, Supol Kenneth Asibor asked the Court to give a date for hearing to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the offence.Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. E.O. Ogunkanmi, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
He was remanded in a correctional centre pending when he will perfect his bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 10th August, 2020.
However, the residents, who heard about the alleged kidnapping believed that the Police officer, Balogun, framed that he was kidnapped in order to punish the defendant because there was no proof that such happened in Igando area.