Police in Ekiti State have paraded eight suspects arrested in connection with the kidnap of pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure – Ekiti on January 29.
The suspects were paraded at the state police command headquarters, Ado Ekiti on Friday, February 16, 2024.
Spokesman of the state police command, DSP Sunday Abutu told newsmen that the arrest of the suspects was made possible through the dogged effort of the men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) led by their Commander, CSP Ogundola Marcus.
He said the RRS in the process of arresting the suspects neautralised one of them.
He said : “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 has 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 for ransom for the release of the Pupils and the Teachers was recovered from the suspects and effort intensified led to the arrest of two (2) among 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, the APC Chairman, Ekiti State, along Agbado/Imesi, Ekiti road on 08/07/2023, the kidnapping of Mr. and Mrs. Awoniyi along Ikere/Itaogbolu road in the month of January this year and the kidnapping of teachers and pupils of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti on 29th January, 2024.”
Abutu listed exhibits recovered from the suspects to include one
AK-47 assorted rifle,
iOne pump action gun loaded with five (5) lives cartridges, 21 AK-47 live ammunition and expended shells of AK-47 ammunition.
Other items recovered from them are one face-mask, nose mask,
two pairs of hand glove, 20 different handsets, one National ID Card bearing Salisu Mohammed, two MTN sim card and one airtel sim card. (vitalnewsngr.com)
