THREE Fulani men were among five other suspects paraded by the Oyo State Police command for allegedly kidnapping a 52-year old business woman in Ibadan. While parading the suspects, the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Abiodun Odude, gave the names of the suspected kidnappers as Taoreed Ibrahim, 35; Wilfred Manger,32; Moshood Adams, 26; Umar Amadu, 31; and gang leader, Adekunle Folorunsho Aderopo, 31. While parading the suspects alongside 19 other armed robbery suspects and burglars, the CP said, “In the few days that we have been here, we have been able to record very formidable achievements. The first achievement we have been able to make was the case of a woman, who was kidnapped. Her car with other documents were taken away by the kidnappers. “We have arrested five of the kidnappers and we are still working and very soon, we will get the remaining members of the gang, who had the rifles and other weapons that were used in that operation. It is a welcome feat for us.” He added that two of the suspects, Aderopo and Wilfred Manger were ex-convicts.

He said Folorunso Aderopo, 31, was released from Agodi prison in August last year after serving a jail-term, while Wilfred Manger, 32, was also released from the same prison. He said, “The suspects trailed their victim from her office in Ojoo area of Ibadan to her house in Akobo and kidnapped her around 10pm as she was about to enter her house on February 25, 2017. She was robbed of her valuables before being driven away in her Toyota Highlander with number plate LND 954 EE. All through the journey, she was blindfolded to prevent her from knowing where they were until they entered a forest.

“She was taken to Ogere forest where she was subjected to all manner of emotional and psychological torture. She was kept in the forest for two days and prevented from contacting her family. But through diligent investigation in collaboration with Lagos State Police Command, some suspects were arrested at Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos with the victim’s car on February 28, 2017.”

While speaking with newsmen, the suspected mastermind of the kidnap, Aderopo, said he got information from a member of the gang, Moshood Adams. The suspect said, “we traced her from Ojoo in Ibadan to her residence in Akobo where we dispossessed her of her valuables, including a cash sum of N100,000. So, we took her to a bush in Ogere. I was arrested in Lagos with the Toyota Highlander of the woman.” The abducted woman, “We were coming from office at night on Saturday. Then, the gate of our house was opened. The next thing I heard was everybody should lie down. So, we all lied down. They collected all the valuables and they put me in the car, which, of course, I did not know it has tracker.

“We moved for about 25 minutes and I was put somewhere. I was blindfolded till around 4a.m. In the morning, I was moved into the bush and we trekked from Saturday night till Monday afternoon. I was not given any food during the time.” Other suspects included armed robbery suspects whose names were given as Seyi Ajayi Amao, Mohammed Sanni, Oladimeji Adekoya, and Oladotun Tijani. The CP said: “We want to use the opportunity to assure the residents of Oyo State that we shall carry out our statutory duties within the limit if the law. So, all residents of the state have nothing to worry about. We’ll do our best to protect their lives and property as much as we can.

“I just finished a strategic meeting with the all Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers, and Head of Departments in the state. We have put our heads together and strategised on how to provide adequate security for all the residents of Oyo State. We want everybody in Oyo State to go about their lawful duties and by the grace of God, we will succeed in combating crime.”

Vanguardngr