10 KIDNAPPERS NABED BY LAGOS STATE POLICE... BY EVELYN USMAN & UJU MBANUSI LAGOS — The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 10-man suspected kidnap gang said to be responsible for series of abductions in Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki areas of Lagos. The suspects who were paraded before newsmen, yesterday, by the command’s boss, Mr Umar Manko, confessed to have been responsible for the kidnap of a Chinese staff of ZTE Nigeria Limited recently which led to the collection of N8.5 million ransom. The kidnap suspects Surprisingly, two of the suspected kidnappers were discovered to be working with the kidnapped Chinese identified as Kuang Vingjun. Alleged mastermind of the abduction, Aduloju Taiwo, 32, who worked as a driver in the firm, told Vanguard that he planned the kidnap of the Chinese following what he described as cruel way one of his colleagues was sacked. he said: “The elderly man was sacked without benefits, after putting in so many years. Shortly before he was sacked, I resigned because they were not treating us well. “When I heard that baba was sacked without benefit, I arranged for the kidnap of my former boss. Because I was no longer working for the company, I decided to contact Ufot Akaninyene, his driver who lives in his house to give us information on his movements. The abduction “On the day he was returning from work, Ufot called to inform us and we drove straight to the office where we saw him outside the company. We abducted him and bundled him into our vehicle and drove off. “We kept him in one of our houses for three days before the company brought N8. 5 million. Unfortunately, I did not know the whereabouts of the old man that was sacked to pay him the compensation he was denied. “Of the ransom the company paid, I shared the money among eight others while I got N1.2 million. I used part of my share to send my younger sister to Europe to study then bought a car that I am currently using for commercial purpose.” Mild drama A mild drama, however, unfolded as one of the suspects, Ufot Akaninyene charged at Taiwo, accusing him of telling lies about his own share. Ufot said: “It is a lie, you got more than N1.2 million. You were the person that got the money and shared to us. Even after sharing the money, you threatened to take my name to a native doctor that would make me go mad if I told anybody about the kidnap.” Taiwo then replied, “You are a liar. We have reached our dead end, so there is no point lying against me. I never threatened to take your name to any native doctor. Rather, you came to me demanding an increase from N700,000 to N3 million simply because you claimed to have played a major role by giving us information on where to kidnap the man.” I kidnapped my friend out of jealousy – Suspect Another suspect identified as Jimoh Olalere said he masterminded the kidnap of his friend also in Ajah area of Lagos out of jealousy. He said he kept him at the gang’s hideout for two days before being paid N500,000 as ransom. Explaining how they were arrested, Manko said Taiwo and one Jimoh Olalere were arrested on July 3, 2013 at Elemoro area of Lagos in connection with the kidnap of one Ifeanyi. “ The arrested duo were used by SARS operatives led by Abba Kyari, to arrest the remaining eight members of the gang identified as Rotimi Shegelu, Michael Sunday, Chigozie Ideh, Adeyinka Jagbojagbo, Kabiru Jagbojagbo, Adeshina Mutiu, Ope Dada and Ufot Akaniyene. During search at the residence of the gang’s armorer , one Michael Sunday , at Epe, two locally made double barrel pistols and 18 live cartridges were recovered.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:50:46 +0000
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