Police Arrest Kidnappers Of OOU Students (Photo)

 Ogun State Police Command has arrested the abductors of two female students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ayetoro Campus in Yewa North Local Government Area of the State, Adeyemo Precious and Oyefula Abiola.

The duo of Adeyemo and Oyefula were kidnapped on April 14 when the gunmen stormed their area but were released a few days later after paying an undisclosed amount for ransom, according to the father to one of the students.

But both the police and the state government had argued that they were rescued by the operatives without payment of any ransom.

The gunmen; Babuga Abubakar, Umaru Usman and Mohammed Bello, according to the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, during the parade of the suspects at the Eleweran Headquarters of the Police, confessed that the students were not their target but a bulk mobile phone recharge card dealer in the area.

The abductors, according to the Police boss, also confessed to series of kidnap cases including a doctor and a nurse, Oladuni Odetola and one Mrs Bamgbose while on their way to duty at a health facility in the Imeko Afon area of the State.

According to Ajogun, the trio were also responsible for the kidnap and unfortunate killing of one Mrs Yemi Ojedapo at Olodo village who was killed because she recognised them.

While explaining that Abubakar was the informant of the kidnap group, the Police boss further explained that they were identified with the phone with which they were making calls for ransom.

The Commissioner said, “On 14th March, 2021, two female students of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ayetoro campus were abducted by some armed men in front of their residence at Ayetoro. The Command intensified efforts towards their release.

“Fortunately, two days after, the students were released from the captivity of their abductors. The Command kept on trailing the syndicate using all lawful methods. In one week of the efforts, three members of the kidnap syndicate were apprehended.

“On interrogation, they confessed to a series of kidnap cases in Ayetoro, Olorunda and Imeko areas.

“They admitted to the kidnap of the two OOU students in Ayetoro on the 14th of March, 2021, a female doctor and a nurse at Olubo Village along Abeokuta-Imeko road on the 7th of April, 2021.

“Kidnap of one Mrs. Yemi Ojedapo at Olodo village, who painfully, they had to kill because she recognized them.

“Babuga Abubakar is the informant to this syndicate and several other kidnap gangs. He supplies information on victims to the gang for ease of operation.

“On the kidnap of the two female students, Babuga explained that the students were not the actual targets, but a woman wholesale recharge card dealer in the area.

“He also stated that it was Muhammed Bello who invited his gang members for the kidnap of Mrs Yemi Ojedapo and masterminded her killing.

“The phone they used in calling for ransom was recovered from them as exhibit.”

The Command also paraded a 28-year-old Haruna Sanni after contacting police undercover for the purchase of an AK47 rifle for kidnapping.

He was said to have deposited N200,000 for the arm before he was promptly arrested.

“The Command received an information through a source that a member of a kidnap gang approached him to help purchase an AK47 rifle, which he intended to use to form his own breakaway kidnap gang.

“On receipt of the information, undercover police operatives of the Command were detailed to monitor him closely. One of the operatives pretended to be the vendor and negotiated with the suspect to sell a rifle.

“They agreed on one million naira as the price for one AK47 rifle. The suspect, there and then paid a deposit of ₦200,000, to show his commitment, and promised to pay the balance later on the same day. He was promptly arrested.”

The Command also arrested the duo of Nura Bello and Abubakar Bello Amodu for the kidnapping of Chief Tajudeen Omotayo, the Olori Ilu of Imope Ijebu.