Men of the Lagos State Police Command arrested three suspected kidnappers in the Shogunle and Ladipo areas of the state on Monday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the activities of the suspects were discovered by residents when they were allegedly dragging a street sweeper into a drainage channel in the Shogunle area, off the Agege Motor Road, near Oshodi.
It was learnt that the victim raised the alarm and passersby and residents of the area rushed to the scene to rescue the woman.
The alleged kidnappers, upon sighting the people rushing towards them, were said to have abandoned the street sweeper and fled from the scene of the incident.
However, some good Samaritans, who rushed to rescue the victim, reportedly gave them a hot chase.
PUNCH Metro learnt that some of the suspects were arrested while trying to escape through the drainage channel, while two others were apprehended around the Ladipo bus stop in the Oshodi area.
An angry mob reportedly beat and stripped the suspects naked before handing them over to some soldiers in the area.
An eyewitness, Segun Gbadegesin, told PUNCH Metro, “What I gathered was that someone was arrested on the allegation that the place was being used as a kidnappers’ den and that a woman was being dragged into the drainage before people responded to her cry for help and apprehended the suspect.
“Some of the rescuers went into the drainage channel and saw used clothes, bags and police walkie-talkie. Over 80 people, including soldiers and policemen, gathered at the scene of the incident.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said three persons were rescued from the angry mob, adding that the command had commenced investigation into the incident.
Elkana said, “Our officers from the Shogunle Division rescued some persons, who were severely beaten by a mob. The mob accused them of being kidnappers and raised the alarm, so our officers quickly went and rescued them from the mob.
“Three persons were rescued from the mob and are now at the Ikeja Division. I cannot confirm if they are kidnappers or not at this stage, because we need to investigate to find out.”