A group of suspected bandits who specialised in kidnapping victims for ransom in Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti States have been apprehended by the Kwara police command.
Their arrest followed a police investigation after they accosted a victim in Koro village in Kwara State.
Briefing reporters on Thursday in Ilorin, police commissioner Paul Odama revealed that kidnap kingpin Banbagida Baguda and two of his gang members were arrested after police tracked them with a phone they left during their failed kidnap operation at Koro village.
The bandits had on November 9, attempted to kidnap Shina Abiodun and another person while they were riding a motorcycle on their way from Egbe in Kogi. The hoodlums, numbering about six, emerged from the bush and opened fire on the victims at Koro village close to Eruku town, the police chief narrated.
“The hoodlums opened fire on them and they sustained gunshot injuries.
“They however escaped the attack and ran to the anti-kidnapping patrol team stationed at Eruku town.
“The team moved to the scene and one Techno Phone was recovered.
“Forensic analysis of the phone by the investigators led to the arrest of the kingpin and two of his gang members in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on Dec. 20.
“The suspects confessed during interrogation to have been responsible for kidnapping operations within Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara respectively.
“Two Locally made guns and two telephone handsets were recovered from them.
“One of their victims and his six-year-old son came from Ekiti State to identify and confirm that they were kidnapped and held captive for six days by the suspects and were released after payment of N6 million.
“The suspects also confessed to have also killed one Insp. Segun Ayegbulu of the NSCDC attached to Ekiti Command.
“Efforts are also ongoing to arrest the fleeing members of the gang and recovery of the remaining fire-arms in their possession,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Odam said that another kidnappers group led by Garuba Abubakar and Abubakar Adam was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 15-year-old boy at Share road in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara on December 12.
According to him, diligent investigation led to the arrest of the two suspects and they confessed to have been the collector of the N500,000 paid by the victim.
He added that the leader of the gang, identified as Chairman Rabiu, who is presently at large, is said to be in possession of the gang’s fire arm and always in custody of all ransom collected as confessed by the two arrested suspects.
The police commissioner assured that Mr Rabiu would be arrested and all the suspects would soon be charged to court.