By Ayodele Popoola
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The Ondo State Police Command yesterday paraded suspected kidnappers of an expatriate in Owo, a Chief kidnapped along Owo-Ikare road and a notorious armed robber who shot four people at Odode-Idanre last Tuesday, Babatunde Adeoye a.k.a, Para.
Others paraded are: impersonators, land grabbers, serial fraudster, burglars and robbery suspects, who have been terrorizing and abducting innocent people in the state.
Those paraded for kidnapping are: Ilyasu Lawal, 27, Mohammadu Abubakar Sidi, 26, Garuba Bature, 36, Abubakar Dangy, 20 and Mohammed Mosere, 25.
Briefing newsmen at their headquarters in Akure, the State Commissioner of Police, Oyeyemi Oyediran said on August 4, the command received an information that a set of kidnappers numbering seven attacked a Toyota Corolla with Registration Number KA K818 AA at Ago Yeye along Ikare Owo road and the three persons in the car; three male and one female were kidnapped and held hostage in the bush.
He said: “On receiving the information, the men of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping squad in synergy with the Oyo state police command swung into action that led to the arrest of the suspects.
“In a related attack, On May 25, 2022, a group of suspected Kidnappers numbering about five waylaid one ‘Walid Dou’ a road contractor in Owo town and in the process killed a soldier, Cpl. Saidi Baba who was the security detail to the contractor and Abubakar Zakari (Driver to the victim).
“Forensic investigation by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad led to the arrest of one Yusuf Hamza who confessed to have participated in the crime and mentioned other suspects. He has been charged to court,” Oyeyemi said.
On armed robbery cases, the police boss said a complainant on August 16, 2020 reported that a group of boys numbering about five led by one ‘Para’ shot sporadically into the air and robbed him of his bag containing a large sum of money.
“The Bullet hits Sakari Yakubu at the back, Basiru Idris on his hand and Akinbadewa Omolayo on her leg.
Also, on August 6, 2022, at about 0230hrs, three armed robbers invaded Ago Lisa Camp via Ayede Ogbese and broke into the house of the complainant, stole his TVS motorcycle with Registration No, AKR 829 WL.
Combined efforts of policemen and hunters led to the arrest of the suspect while combing the bush, while others took to their heels.
He added that a complaint of loss of firearm (double barrel licensed firearm with No: 67997) was lodged at Ondo Area Command’s office with one Okosun Jude as a prime suspect.
Following the command’s efforts, the suspect, Okosun Jude was arrested alongside with one Tope Fadayomi.
During investigation, the missing firearm, which had been cut to size by the suspects, was recovered with 13 live cartridges as well as 12 wraps of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemps with two face masks.
“On December 23, 2021, the Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Odidiomo Afolabi went to Okoga via Igbokoda in company of his vigilante group to remove speed breakers used on the road to dispose travelers and other road users of their belongings, the duo of Mayowa Iledun and Akinwumi Ebifemi (a.k.a Espayol) with others who are currently at large emerged and started shooting sporadically and eventually shot Ephraim Abayomi and Agbadeloye Idowu dead at the scene.
Investigation conducted revealed that the suspects were involved in several other cases bothering on similar offences in which one Iwatan Bamidele and seven others had earlier been arrested and charged to court for murder and conspiracy which included killing of a policeman on November 28, 2021.
Also on February 18, 2022, a complainant (name withheld) reported that fraudsters duped him to the tune of three million naira under false pretence of selling a plot of land located at Atipere off Oda road to him.
Those arrested are :Lawrence Oguntuase, 55, Yemisi Francis, 42, Olanyi Femi, 47, (Adebayo Babatunde ‘m’ Aged 63.
The police boss said suspects also fraudulently collected the sum of One Million Naira from another victim by selling the same land to him.
On July 8, 2021, the same set of fraudsters obtained the cash sum of six hundred and seventy thousand naira from another person, on September 16, 2021 and sold another person’s land to him,” the CP added.
The Police boss noted that during interrogation, all the suspects confessed to the commission of the crime and they would be charged to court.
He said the command was working assiduously to ensure citizens enjoy peace and tranquility under his watch.
