Police Arrest Kidnap Kingpin, 4 Others In Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested an alleged kidnap kingpin, Banbagida Baguda, with two of his gang members.

The command said Bashiru Yakuba and Mohammed Umaru led by Baguda, were operating in Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara States.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Paul Odama, confirmed this to newsmen at the Police Headquarters in Ilorin.

According to him, on Nov. 9, one Shina Abiodun and one other, while riding on a motorcycle on their way from Egbe in Kogi, were accosted at Koro village close to Eruku town by men numbering about six, who emerged from the bush armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.

“The hoodlums opened fire on them and they sustained gunshot injuries.

“They however escaped the attack and ran to the Anti-Kidnapping patrol team stationed at Eruku town.

“The team moved to the scene and one Techno Phone was recovered.

“Forensic analysis of the phone by the investigators led to the arrest of the kingpin and two of his gang members in Oro-Ago, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on Dec. 20.

“The suspects confessed during interrogation to have been responsible for kidnapping operations within Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara respectively.

“Two Locally made guns and two telephone handsets were recovered from them.

“One of their victims and his six-year-old son came from Ekiti State to identify and confirmed that they were kidnapped and held captive for six days by the suspects and were released after payment of N6 million.

“The suspects also confessed to have also killed one Insp. Segun Ayegbulu of the NSCDC attached to Ekiti Command.

“Efforts are also ongoing to arrest the fleeing members of the gang and recovery of the remaining firearms in their possession,” he said.

Meanwhile, Odam said that another kidnappers group led by Garuba Abubakar and Abubakar Adam was busted after kidnapping a 15-year-old boy at Share Road in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara on Dec. 12.

According to him, a diligent investigation led to the arrest of the two suspects and they confessed to having been the collector of the N500,000 paid by the victim.

He added that the leader of the gang, one Chairman Rabiu, who is presently at large, is said to be in possession of the gang’s firearm and always in the custody of any ransom collected as confessed by the two arrested suspects.

The police commissioner assured that Rabiu would be arrested and all the suspects would soon be charged to court.

(NAN)