Ekiti State Police Command said that it has apprehended some of the suspects allegedly involved in the abduction of Apostolic Faith school children in Emure Local Government Area of the State.
Parading the kidnappers, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti, CP Akinwale Kunle Adeniran said that one of the suspects was killed during a gun battle with policemen, while eight were arrested.
According to Ogundare, the syndicate was responsible for various kidnappings in the state, adding that it was the group that kidnapped the Ekiti State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Paul Omotosho along Agbado/Imesi, on July 8, 2023, the kidnapping of Mr. and Mrs. Awoniyi along Ikere/Itaogbolu road in January, and the kidnapping of teachers and pupils of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti on January, 29, 2024.
The exhibits recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle, one pump action gun loaded with five life cartridges, 21 AK47 live ammunition, expended shells of AK-47 ammunition, one face mask, vi. one nose mask, two pairs of hand gloves, 20 different handsets, one national ID card bearing Salisu Mohammed, two MTN sim card and one Airtel sim card.
The statement of the commissioner reads in parts:
I welcome you all on behalf of the Officers and Men of Ekiti State Police Command to today’s press briefing that is aimed at informing the general public and showcasing the Command’s latest achievement under my leadership as the Commissioner of Police.
This recent breakthrough was made possible through the dogged effort of our gallant men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) ably led by their Commander, CSP. OGUNDOLA MARCUS.
In our relentless and deliberate efforts to rid the state of criminal elements especially kidnappers and the quest to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums behind the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti and the kidnapping of some school children and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti as well as other kidnapping incidents in the state, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) commenced a thorough investigation and operation and arrested Eight (8) members of a kidnapping syndicate and neutralized one.
Details below:
On 8/02/2024 at about 1300hrs, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) received a credible tip-off that a gang of armed men had invaded a farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and were planning to kidnap some Expatriates in Dairy farmland, Ikun-Ekiti.
Upon receipt of the information, a team of RRS operatives swung into action and arrested one ABUBAKAR ALIYU a.k.a SMALLIE who was on a mission to spy on the actual location of the Expatriates. After the arrest of Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE, the leader of the kidnapping gang identified as one Sumo Karami sent two (2) vigilante members, one Saliu Ibrahim and Umaru Saliu, to secure the bail of the arrested gang member from Police custody. The two (2) vigilante members were arrested and they led the RRS operatives to Oro-Ago town where one Mohammed Bashiru, the leader of Miyetti Allah vigilante in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, was arrested. During interrogation, Mohammed Bashiru revealed that he is a relative of Sumo Karami who is a leader of a dreaded kidnapping gang and that Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE is one his gang members who have been terrorizing and kidnapping innocent citizens with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons. Initial investigation revealed that Sumo Karami and his gang members were responsible for the kidnapping of the Pupils and their Teachers in Emure-Ekiti on 29th January, 2024.
Meanwhile, the phone used to demand ransom for the release of the Pupils and the Teachers was recovered from the suspects and effort intensified and led to the arrest of two (2) of the gang members, namely: Yahaya Jubril and Usman Garba in Owo forest, Ondo State.
Further investigation led to the arrest of one Kenneth Ugwu in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 14/02/2024. The suspect, during interrogation, confessed to be a member of a kidnapping syndicate who kidnapped 5 Pupils, three (3) teachers and a driver in Emure-Ekiti who was allegedly killed by the kidnappers. The suspect led a team of RRS operatives to the kidnapper’s hideout inside Agric Reserved Forest between Ise-Ekiti/Emure-Ekiti. On sighting the Police, the armed hoodlums engaged the team in a gun duel. In the process, one of the gang members who was later identified as AYUBA was neutralized, one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Smallie was captured alive while other gang members escaped through the forest. Investigation revealed that the syndicate was responsible for the kidnapping of one Paul Omotosho,
