Police arrest two fleeing abductors of Ekiti petroleum dealer, six other Kidnap kingpins
The Ekiti State Police Command says it has arrested a kidnap kingpin who allegedly played a prominent role in the abduction of a petroleum dealer in Ado-Ekiti, Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami sometime in January this year.
The Police Command had earlier Paraded four members of the Kidnap Kingpins in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, a fortnight ago before recording this breakthrough.
Parading the suspects before Journalists in Ado-Ekiti, Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Abutu explained that the suspects were arrested based on the thorough investigation by a team of the Rapid Response Team of the Command (RRS).
A ring leader of the Akinbami’s abduction, Jimoh Dele popularly known as Dele Petim was arrested in Ilorin, Kwara State, while another member of the gang, Johnson Apotire was arrested in Ilesa in Osun state.
Johnson Apotire a native of Agbado-Ekiti who confessed to being a member of the notorious kidnapping gang and further stated that he usually impersonate Fulani Herdsman due to his physical resemblance to a Fulani man.
The Suspects told Journalists during the interview that he specialized in burglary and stealing, including motorcycles and has burgled more than ten shops, houses carted away more than twelve motorcycles.
Dele also confessed that the four guns earlier recovered by the Police were concealed by him in his mother-in-law’s house in Ado-Ekiti.
The Suspects also mentioned a Kwara based Alhaji Adebayo Ahmed who was also paraded by the police, as his major receiver of the stolen motorcycle and other loots, adding that Alhaji Adebayo Ahmed was not unaware of his criminal activities.
The Police image maker in the state, Sunday Abutu also confirmed to newsmen that One Ayeni Blessing, another member of the kidnapping syndicate was also arrested while Femi Adewale is still at large.
Abutu further explained that the duty of the two Suspects was to identify who to be kidnapped by the gang adding that Ayeni Blessing and Femi Adewale were the informants who identified late Chief Ayeni Abiodun who was kidnapped by the gang and later jumped out of their moving vehicle but later died while receiving medical attention in the hospital.
Another member of the kidnapping syndicate was a 63 years old man Ayo Samuel who had been dismissed from the Nigeria Police also confessed to newsmen that he has participated in different kidnappings and robberies in Ekiti State.
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The PPRO maintained that efforts are still on top gear for the possible arrest of Samuel Ebira and Dayo Igwe who were mentioned by the arrested gang members but still at large.
The Police Command also paraded another set of Kidnapping Syndicate, Mubarak Bello who was arrested in Igbara Odo-Ekiti where he was demanding ransom, the Suspect confessed to the commission of the crime and mentioned one Ali Ibrahim (aka) Dabadaba as his accomplice.
The PPRO told Journalists that the Suspects would soon be charged to court once investigations are concluded in the matter.
Some of the items recovered from them were over 2 million Naira worth of women weavon, women attachments, police uniforms, military vest, cut to size locally made guns and a 2019 Toyota Corolla car among others.