Photo: ”I was Offered N30,000 to Convey a Kidnapped Woman into the Bush”

A 24-year-old commercial motorcyclist who confessed to being a member of a kidnap syndicate that specialised in abducting their victims from Ogun and Lagos states, has been arrested by men of the Ogun State Special Anti Robbery Squad.

The suspect, Taiwo Akilo, was arrested at the weekend while on the verge of taking the syndicate’s female victim to their hide out inside a bush around Imodi- Ijasi, along Ijebu-ode/Ikorodu road. The captive, one Mrs Abosede Adenuga, was reportedly abducted at about 10.50pm, around Ikorodu area of Lagos, last Sunday.

Explaining how the suspect met his Waterloo, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Val Ntomchukwu, said:

“The Ogun State Police Command has intensified efforts to tackle challenges of kidnapping in the State, particularly, in Ijebu axis as the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the command ambushed and arrested a member of a kidnap gang that abducted one Mrs Abosede Adenuga, from Lagos State on 16th March 2015 at 1050pm.

’The SARS operatives of the command deployed to police the Ibefun/Ikorodu road where some suspected kidnappers operate and hide their captors, were informed of the kidnap case by some informants. They said the gang was heading to Ijebu axis to hide their captor. The kidnappers met their waterloo when they were ambushed by the police at Imodi -Ijasi along Ijebu Ode/Ikorodu road.

On noticing the presence of policemen, the kidnappers jumped on a motorcycle to escape. They were given a hot chase by the operatives who used another motorcycle to pursue them. During the process, one of them, Tunde Akilo, was arrested while the woman was rescued. The following items were recovered from the gang: one locally- made, cut-to-size double barrell gun loaded with one live cartridge, four live cartridges, a Volkswagen car with Reg No MUS 471 AU used by the kidnappers and assorted charms.”

Speaking with Crime Guard, the suspect disclosed that he was offered N30,000 for the botched kidnap by one Ahmed whom he said was the leader of the gang. The father of two who blamed his indulgence on poverty, stated that he was into aluminium business before he diversified to commercial motorcycle (okada) in order to eke out a living.

• HOW WE CARRIED OUT THE OPERATION

According to Akilo who had a scorpion tattoo on his left arm:

“ Yes, I was arrested by the police inside the bush. I was hired by Ahmed who is the head of the gang. He called me on Sunday around 9.30pm, to convey a woman to the bush. On reaching the meeting point , I met four other persons.

While they went to kidnap the woman around Ikorodu, I was asked to watch out for any intruder. After they succeeded in kidnapping her, we drove to Imodi- Ijasi . On the way, Ahmed stopped the car and shot at the tyre. He instructed me to drive the woman on the motorbike to a designated point inside the bush. We blindfolded our victim and ordered her to mount the bike. I drove the motorbike while the woman sat between me and another member of the gang.

As I was about leaving, Ahmed sighted a motorcyclist coming. He hijacked the motorcycle and also drove inside the bush. But all of a sudden, we sighted some policemen who ordered us to stop but we did not. In the process of trying to run away from the policemen, I missed my way inside the bush. Unfortunately, I was arrested while others who were conversant with the terrain escaped, leaving me at the mercy of the policemen.

“This is my first time of joining them. I was tempted by the payment of N30,000. Ahmed owns the motorbike. All I was instructed to do was to drive the woman inside the bush . He said he would pay me after ransom was paid by the woman’s family.”

The command boss stated that efforts were still on to apprehend other fleeing members, even as he commended members of the public for availing the command with information. He reiterated the command’s commitment to always provide adequate security for lives and property of people in the State.