Reprieve may have come the way of travelers on Lagos- Ibadan expressway as the Oyo State Police Command on Thursday arrested suspected kidnappers terrorising the axis.
The police also recovered cash of N7.5 million, four AK-47 rifles, 75 AK-47 live ammunition, two pairs of military camouflage and one police beret from them.
According to the police, the suspects are Mohammadu Salfa, Usman Hassan, Muhammadu Salfa, Muhammadu Bello and Mikailu Yahaya.
In recent times, kidnappers have been attacking passengers plying Lagos/Ibadan expressway where by Prof. Adigun Agbaje, a former Deputy Vice-chancellor (academics) of the University of Ibadan (UI), was among the victims.
The spokesman of the Oyo State Police Command Adewale Osifeso speaking while the suspects are being paraded at state Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, said the suspects attacked a team of policemen who were heeding a distress call to rescue abducted persons.
It was reported that an inspector was killed in the shootout with the kidnappers.
Osifeso said the suspected kidnappers had whisked their victims away to an unknown destination through the thick forest along the expressway and had also contacted relatives for ransom.
“In one of the most coordinated reconnaissance operations in the history of the Command, all operational, tactical and intelligence assets were collapsed and fused as one to attain the goal of the immediate rescue of the abductees unhurt and the apprehension of their abductors for prosecution.
“The Oyo State Police Command, in a technological intelligence-aided operation, and with necessary support from Amotekun (the Oyo State Security Network) and other community partners, apprehended the duo of Babangida Buhari Awalu and Kabiru Aliyu.
“Both are commercial motorcyclists and couriers for the kidnap syndicate. They were arrested while retrieving ‘exchange money’ for other members of the syndicate around Ojoo Area, Ibadan.
“Further detailed and painstaking investigations led to the arrest of five members of the criminal gang.
“Three additional suspects gave their names as Adewuyi Sunday, Ayanwola Gbenga and Rafiu Abdulmajeed from the Gbugbu area of Kwara State and Ago-Are in Oyo State respectively.
“It was also discovered that monies received from the victims were moved into the bank accounts of these three additional suspects for onward distribution to other members of the kidnapping syndicate.”
olusola Bello
