Oyo state police Command on Thursday said it has arrested 43 criminal elements, including kidnappers, armed robbers and fake security agents terrorizing the residents of the state .
Among the men of the underworld who were paraded in a crowded press briefing at the state Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan was an alleged notorious kidnap kingpin, Duru Daniel , who was said to have masterminded high profile kidnap of several victims including Senator Iyabo Anisulowo between 2015 and 2017 .
The suspected kidnapper, an ex-convict was arrested in 2016 and charged to court, he was however, granted bail in January ,2018 .
Addressing newsmen while parading the suspected armed robbers, the state Commissioner of Police , Mr Abiodun Odude said barely four months after the 31 year old suspected kidnapper was released from the Agodi Prison , the unrepentant kidnap/armed robbery suspect formed another armed robbery gang which operated along the Ibadan/Ijebu-Ode axis, terrorising ,maiming and robbing motorists of their valuable property.
Other members of Daniel’s armed gang who were arrested by the police included Umaru Mohammed (23), also an ex-convict who admitted to have served jail term in Lokoja Prison, and Aminu Abubakar ( 22), the gang’s armourer, a herdsman who was said to the one procuring arms from one Sara ( at large) in Zamfara state.
Some of the exhibits recovered from them included three AK 49 rifles, one English made pistol, eighty seven rounds of 7.63mm live ammunition and sixteen expended 7.62 ammunition.
Also, a soldier Private Azeez Olaide (22), confessed to series of criminal acts ranging from kidnapping , robbery and rape along with two members of his gang , Ibrahim Lawal (22), who claimed to have deserted from the Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria in 2014, and Kehinde Adeniji (29).
The soldier, as at the time of his arrest serves in 202 Battalion, Bama , Maiduguri in the fight against Book Haram insurgents.
According the state Police Commissioner, Private Olaide has been responsible for robbery incidents in some parts of the state in recent times.
” The modus operandi of the suspects who were usually clad in military camouflage /fatigues was to go about kidnapping people , robbing them and sexually abusing female victims. The suspects armed had been carrying out these criminal activities for some time until nemesis caught up with them recently.
The suspects armed with guns , jack knife, and other dangerous weapons abducted one Rasak Michael and his girl friend , Rashidat at Mobile area, Oluyole , Ibadan on 31 April, 2018 and took them into a hotel where they were kept till the day before they released.
“While in captivity, the suspects took turns to rape the female victim and video taped the sexual escapade for purpose of blackmail in future. The suspects also stole ATM cards having forcefully obtained PIN numbers of the cards and unlawfully withdrew a large sum of money from their bank accounts, ” Mr Odude told newsmen .
Items recovered from them are four pairs of military fatigue, a pair of military desert boot , a fake military ID card, a jack knife , seven different ATM cards belonging to victims, two mobile phones. a Rolex wrist watch and a gold necklace, one WIFI , and the sum of one hundred and thirty five thousand naira cash.
Also, apprehended were members of vigilante group who confessed to have conspired with an armed robbery gang to rob the community which paid them for security.
The seven suspects, the state Commissioner of Police said betrayed the trust reposed in them by the Osungbade Community when they invited armed robbers to rob residents of the community while they provided them cover .
The suspects included Wasiu Adejare aka DJ Keze (27), who claimed to be the gang leader and was once arraigned in court for unlawful possession of firearms, Solomon Okeke (22), Korede Afeez (23) , Aliu Abiodun ( 19) , vigilante, Oladepo Nurudeen (32), vigilante, Tunde Popoola(25),and Kazeem Ajao aka Sokoti (50).
