3 Suspected Kidnappers Arrested, 3 Victims Rescued In Ogun

Security operatives have arrested three suspected kidnappers, who allegedly abducted five people into a forest along the Imeko – Iwoye Ketu Road in Imeko-Afon local government area of Ogun State.

The suspects, which included a 29-year-old Aliu Abubakar, Umaru Tukur (24) and a 25-year-old Yau Isah, were among the eight suspected kidnappers, armed with dangerous weapons and barricaded the Termac/Iwoye Road, leading to the Imeko township where they abducted their victims.

The suspects allegedly shot sporadically in the axis from where they abducted three elderly people: Fatai Abdulsalam, Dauda Orelope and Rafiu Isah, while two others, one Bode Ogunleye and Muhammad Basa, who put up some resistance, were seriously injured during the kindap attempt.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Abeokuta on Tuesday, said the development compelled the combined security operatives, which included the men of the Amotekun Corps, the So Safe Corps, Hunters, Vigilantes as well as Fulani/Yoruba youths, under the command of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Imeko Division, to storm the forest from where they rescued the three victims.

“Upon the receipt of the distress call, the DPO Imeko Divisional Headquarters mobilized his men in conjunction with men of Amotekun Corps, the So Safe Corps, Hunters, Vigilantes as well as Fulani/Yoruba youths and stormed the forest in search of the victims and their abductors.

“Due to the intense pressure, the kidnappers abandoned their victims and took to flight leaving an unregistered Bajaj motorcycle behind at their hideout in the forest. The victims were rescued unhurt, while the security operatives continued combing the bush which led to the discovery of the three amongst the suspects where they were hiding in the forest,” the PPRO said.

Oyeyemi disclosed that the security operatives later recovered the key to the abandoned ‘Bajaj’ motorcycle, alongside with three cutlasses after a search was conducted on them.

The PPRO, however, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, ‘Lanre Bankole, has ordered that the suspects be immediately transferred to Anti-Kidnapping Section (AKS) of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for discreet investigation.