Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested ten suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate terrorising Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Recall that kidnappers have been attacking and kidnapping commuters travelling along the busy highway.

We had reported that kidnappers in military uniform kidnapped Prof. Adigun Agbaje, a former Deputy Vice-chancellor (academics) of the University of Ibadan (UI), two students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, on October 28 by .

The State Police Spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, while parading the suspects at the Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Thursday, said the suspects attacked a team of policemen heeding a distress call to rescue abducted persons. An inspector was killed in the shootout with the kidnappers.

Osifeso said the suspected kidnappers had whisked their victims away to an unknown destination through the thick forest along the expressway. They had also contacted relatives for ransom.

“In one of the most coordinated reconnaissance operations in the history of the Command, all operational, tactical and intelligence assets were collapsed and fused as one to attain the goal of the immediate rescue of the abductees unhurt and the apprehension of their abductors for prosecution,” the spokesperson said.

“The Oyo State Police Command, in a technological intelligence-aided operation, and with necessary support from Amotekun (the Oyo State Security Network) and other community partners, apprehended the duo of Babangida Buhari Awalu and Kabiru Aliyu.

“Both are commercial motorcyclists and couriers for the kidnap syndicate. They were arrested while retrieving ‘exchange money’ for other members of the syndicate around Ojoo Area, Ibadan.

“Further detailed and painstaking investigations led to the arrest of five members of the criminal gang.

“Three additional suspects gave their names as Adewuyi Sunday, Ayanwola Gbenga and Rafiu Abdulmajeed from the Gbugbu area of Kwara State and Ago-Are in Oyo State respectively.

“It was also discovered that monies received from the victims were moved into the bank accounts of these three additional suspects for onward distribution to other members of the kidnapping syndicate.”

Osifeso said that items recovered from the suspects included cash of N7.5 million, four AK-47 rifles, 75 AK-47 live ammunition, two pairs of military camouflage and one police beret.

By Adekunle Dada

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