Gunmen on Sunday attacked a mosque at Soyoye, in the Rounder area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, kidnapping a police inspector, Kamarudeen Bello, and two other worshippers.
The incident reportedly happened about 8 pm while the police inspector, who is also the imam of the mosque was worshipping with others.
It was gathered that Bello’s wife gave birth only four days before the incident.
A source said, “After imam was abducted alongside two others, the kidnappers called to demand N5m ransom for the release of each of the victims. But with pleadings and negotiations, the money was reduced.
“The imam’s wife was contacted with the phone number of one of the kidnapped victims.”
It was learnt that the hoodlums did not know that Bello was a policeman, as he was not in uniform or with any identity when he was picked up in the mosque.
Another source said, “Most of us were scared when they kidnapped him; we didn’t want them to know he is a policeman. If they knew, they might have killed him over fear that he would aid their arrest.”
The Punch learnt that the policeman and others were released before the week ran out after the payment of ransom.
The source said, “I don’t know how much each of them paid, but I think the police inspector parted with about N700,000 before he was released.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the abduction but denied knowledge of any ransom payment.
