Operatives of Oyo State Police Command on Wednesday said eight suspects have been arrested over the recent kidnap of a local government chairman and a farmer in the state.
According to the police, five suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnap of a local government Chairman along Iganna-Ado Awaye Road while three were arrested over the kidnap of a farmer who was later found dead.
Recall that Hon. Adeleke Olayiwola, a caretaker committee Chairman in the State, was recently kidnapped, while the farmer, Mr. Oluwole Agboola, was also kidnapped in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan.
The farmer was later found dead after which the family claimed to have paid a demanded ransom for his release.
Speaking on the arrest, the state Police Commissioner, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko, who addressed journalists in Ibadan, said the suspects were arrested following credible intelligence.
She said, “On credible intelligence, the command through operatives of the CP monitoring team, intercepted and arrested some members of a dreaded kidnapping syndicate armed with Ak-47 rifles who confessed to the kidnapping of the Chairman of Igangan LCDA, Hon. Adeleke Jacob Olayiwola along Iganna-Ado Awaye Road, subsequently dispossessed him of all his personal effects and a ranson of a sum of five million, five hundred thousand naira (5,500,000.00). The victim vividly identified the suspects who had confessed to the crime.
“Suspects: Babuga Mohammadu, Rabiu Muhamadu, Usman Mohammed, Aliyu Mohammed.
“Exhibits: One double barrel gun, one cut to size gun and four live cartridges.
“The command monitoring team through the optimum utilization of the State intelligence assets apprehended a notorious kidnaping syndicate team with sophisticated weapons who invaded the farm of one Oluwole Agboola at Adegbede village via Aba Odo area, Akinyele local government area of Oyo state.
“The armed kidnappers attacked the victim and later whisked him away to an unknown location where they subsequently contacted his relatives and collected a ranson of one million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira (1,650,000.00) yet still brutally murdered and abandoned him in the bush where he had been held hostage for several days.
“Discreet investigation carried out by crack police detectives led to the arrest of three members of the kidnapping syndicate who also confessed to the crime.”