A leader of an alleged kidnap gang in Ogun State, Oyewunmi Musa, says its gang got N8.5m as ransom from four of their victims’ relatives.
He was one of the 55 suspects paraded by the state Police Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu, at the command’s headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta on Tuesday for various offences ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery murder, cultism to illegal possession of firearms.
Musa, who was paraded alongside 10 other members of his syndicate, confessed that, in recent times, his gang had kidnapped four victims and their relatives paid different sums of money to effect their release.
He said, “In the first operation, we got N3m ransom, in the second, we got N2.5m and for the third and fourth, we got N1.5m ransom respectively from their relatives.”
Two members of the gang from Ughelli allegedly link up with gang each time there was an operation.
Iliyasu said a member of the gang, Femi Aresu, was arrested on 5th January 2018 at their hideout in Itele-Ijebu by the operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad and this led to the arrest of other members of the gang.
He said Aresu led the FSARS operatives to Lagos, Oyo and Ondo states to where the “10 other members of the gang were arrested.”
Musa told journalists that their victims were kept inside the bush until their relatives paid the necessary ransom.
Iliyasu said other suspected armed robbers and cultists were also arrested in Abeokuta, Eggua, Aiyetoro, and Ago Iwoye among others.
Also paraded were two Fulani herdsmen who were alleged to have been caught with AK 49 rifle and fake licensing syndicate who had printed fake number plates and documents for mostly snatched motorcycles.
Iliyasu said the suspects were arrested between December 2017 and January 2018, in what he termed ‘Operation Mop Up’.
He explained that no fewer than 42 arms, including AK 47 rifles, Pump Action guns and locally 0made pistols as well as 396 ammunitions were recovered from them.
Also recovered from the suspected robbers, according to the Iliyasu, were eight vehicles snatched at different robbery operations.
The Ogun police boss said the command would continue to flush the criminals out of their hideouts.
He said, “We are not going to rest on our oars and the battle will be taken to doorsteps of the criminals and men of the underworld until Ogun State is rid of all sorts of crimes.”