Nemesis has caught up with nine members of a notorious kidnap gang operating in Ogun State forests, as they were arrested in their hideout, alongside their local accomplices in their hideout in Ayetoro, Abeokuta, area of the state.
The suspects were arrested on Sunday 24th of April 2022 at Abule Oba, off Ayetoro Road in Abeokuta by police and local vigilance groups.
Ogun Police Command spokesperson, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi said in a statement that the arrest of the suspects was joint efforts of operatives of So Safe Corps, OPC, Amotekun, hunters and vigilante men.
He named the suspects as Umar Sanda, Sanda Aliu, Ali Morandu, Usman Abubakar, Usman Mohammed, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu.
Their local accomplices were identified as Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh.
The criminals were reportedly arrested as a result of credible intelligence gathered by policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju divisional headquarters, that Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh who are errand okada riders to the kidnap syndicate were sighted somewhere in Rounder area of Abeokuta North local government.
“Upon the information, the DPO Sabo/Ilupeju division, SP Mustapha Opawoye, quickly mobilized his men and moved to the area, where the duo of Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh were apprehended.
“On interrogation, they confessed to be part of the syndicate, but said theirs is limited to running errands and surveying the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from catching the kidnappers unawares.
“Their confession led to the discovery of the hideout of the 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 Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested,” the police spokesperson said.
Abimbola added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are members of the group who have been terrorizing Abeokuta/Ayetoro road in recent time.
He said some of the kidnap victims have been able to identify them as their abductors.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole, who expressed satisfaction with the intelligence-based investigation carried out by his men which led to the arrest of the hoodlums has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti-kidnapping section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation.
