I was caught in my first act -Kidnap suspect
By Michael Ofulue & Tola Gbadamosi
|
A teenager Ismail Wakili who was arrested by the police for kidnapping one Prince Omoghae Igbegbon Along Akunnu Akoko/Auga Akoko areas of Ondo state has said that it was the first time of involving in kidnapping operation in his life.
Speaking with The Hope Metro in an exclusive interview after being paraded alongside his four other accomplices in the crime Wakili who is 19 years old hinted that he had never kidnapped anybody until he was lured into the business by one Abdullahi whom he claimed was their gang leader.
The four other suspects are; Abdullahi Sanni, 33 from Kogi state; Mohammed Abdullahi 36 from Sokoto state; Umoru Usman 25 from Kebbi state; and Sehu Usman 25 from Niger state.
The suspect, who confessed to kidnapping of the victim, said they were six in number that carried our the dastardly act.
His words, “This is my first time of involving in kidnapping. I have never been involved in such a business before. It was Abudullahi that introduced me to it.Since I joined the gang, this is the only person (victim)we have kidnapped,I swear I am not a killer. Even if I will die, I will say the truth.
“When we kidnapped the man, we only saw the sum of N70,000 cash in his car in various denominations ranging from N500 to N1,000 notes out of which our leader, Abdullahi removed N20,000 to buy food for us and the man pending when the ransom would be paid.
“And the remaining N50,000 was with me until I was arrested by the community in Ibilo Edo state while the money that was with me was taken by the community .
“Actually, when we kidnapped the man, we demanded for a ransom of N30million from him at first and we later reduced it to N5million. But the man said he didn’t have such money. He said he could only afford to pay N300,000.
“Abudullahi initially said that we will not collect N300,000 from him. But later said that after two days, if the man did not add any money, I should collect and leave the man to go,” Wakili confessed.
The police commissioner,Mr Undie Adie, who paraded the suspects before newsmen at the command’s headquarters along Igbatoro road in Akure said Wakili and his gang also robbed the victim of the sum of N185,000.
“On April 2 ,2019 at about 7:15pm, one Prince Omoghae Igbegbon of Senior Staff quarters Nifo,Benin City, Edo State was attacked by unknown gunmen, numbering about six along Akunnu Akoko/Auga Akoko roads in Ondo state.
The hoodlums robbed him of the cash sum of N185,000 also abducted him into the bush .The abductors demanded N30million as a ransom before he could be released,”he said.
The police boss hinted that on April 3 2019,a team of police detectives with members of vigilante operatives were mobilised to trail the kidnappers who fled to unknown destination leaving behind one pump action,one double barrel and two Single barrel guns.
According to Adie, the victim escaped to a community in Ibilo in Edo State, where he explained and narrated his ordeal in the hands of kidnappers which made the police to place the community on red alert to watch out for strange faces in the community.
He explained that after some concerted efforts, one Ismailia Wakili,19-year- old boy from Niger State whom the victim later identified as one of his abductors, was subsequently arrested and handed over to the police.
The commissioner said upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the crime and mentioned other members of his gang who, were later apprehended in different locations.
“We want to use this medium to assure you that we are on the trail of the suspects involve in the two separate unfortunate incidents that happened in the state recently and the we will not rest in our efforts until they are brought to face the full weight of the Law,”he stated.
He however ,said the police authority in the state will soon organized a forum for bank managers in view brainstorming and possibly finding solution to bank robbery incident and other violent crime in the state.
