Operatives of Ogun State Police Command, on Tuesday, neutralized two kidnappers terrorizing travellers on the Sagamu Ijebu-Ode-Benin expressway.
The kidnappers were killed when the police engaged them in a gun battle on Tuesday during a rescue operation.
The police also recovered N7.9 million and 1500 Indian Rupees suspected to have been part of the ransom collected from their victims.
The police, during the rescue operation, carried out around 4:30 pm with the support of the local Vigilantes secured the release of three Indian Nationals; Tejaram Chauhan, Kaduwal Pradhan and Medani Kathiwada, earlier abducted on May 3rd.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Omolola Odutola disclosed these in a statement sent to journalists on Monday.
Odutola said that the Manager of Breeze Company Nigeria Limited on May 4 made a distress call to the DPO of Mowe Divisional headquarters detailing how some gang of kidnappers on May 3 opened fire on the two Hilux buses conveying his principals, numbering about sixteen at Kajola junction along Sagamu-Siun-Abeokuta expressway.
The statement partly reads that “The anti-kidnapping section of the command in concert with police formations in the axis with other local security agents swung into action by combing the area.
“The policemen engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle confronting the kidnappers in the forest along Benin-Sagamu Papalanto at about 1630hrs of 7th May 2024 and succeeded in the rescue of the victims unhurt.
“In the course of the encounter, two of the six kidnappers were demobilized, two AK 47 rifles, one single barrel locally made gun, one sword, cell phone and criminal charms and 65 rounds of ammunition were also recovered.
“The likely ransom loot of the two demobilized kidnappers of the sum of Seven million nine hundred thousand naira (N7.900.000) and one thousand five hundred Rupees of (Indian currency) were also recovered.
“The two demobilized suspects have been deposited at the public mortuary, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the four fleeing members of the kidnap gang.”
On Monday, the police confirmed the abduction of seven travellers and the killing of another one on Friday, May 3 on the Sagamu- Ijebu-Ode expressway.
The gunmen numbering about seven were said to have waylaid and attacked the travellers in between the Ilisan, Ceplast industry and Iperu junction axis of the expressway.
Odutola said the incident which happened on May 3 around 6:55 pm was reported as a case of armed robbery, murder and kidnapping.
She explained that “we have information that about seven people whom we don’t know with A.K 47 suddenly blocked the Benin-Sagamu expressway.
“The DPO of Ilisan when he got to the scene of the incident saw two vehicles pierced with bullets; a Lexus Jeep 300 with registration number LND 640 DY, the driver’s name is Chilaka Lugard and another Lexus Jeep 350 with registration number LSR 996 JF belonging to Kingsley Chineme. Inside this Lexus 350 car was found a cross bag with N113, 000, two iPhones; an iPhone Six and an iPhone Eleven Promax.
“There was also a corpse of an unidentified man who was shot in the head.
“The third vehicle was loaded with plantains and the driver who was among those abducted but has regained freedom was later allowed to go with the vehicle. The other Lexus vehicles have been taken to Ilishan Police Station”.
Odutola said the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu has directed the tactical commanders and the mobile squadron to go after these undesirable elements.
She said, “The CP had been to the scene of this incident, a lot of work is ongoing to fish these people out and let them answer for their criminality. I can assure you that the criminals will be apprehended very soon.”
Parents storm Ogun schools over kidnappers scare
Meanwhile, panic loomed in the Iperu, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State when parents and guardians stormed schools to pick up their children over fear of kidnappers.
Iperu is the hometown of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The parents who spoke with journalists said they got information that some gunmen invaded Akesan Community Grammar School, in Iperu to kidnap five children.
“We are going to pick our children, we got information that gunmen have kidnapped five kids in Akesan,” a parent lamented as they ran to pick their wards.
Parents thronged different schools in Iperu with bikes, taking home their children.
When journalists visited one of the schools on Tuesday, some policemen were sighted within the premises.
They had been deployed to the school following the kidnapping rumour.
Some youth leaders were also on the ground to monitor the situation.
But the Principal of Akesan Community Grammar School, who identified herself as Mrs. A. O. Yusuf said that there was no incident of kidnapping in the school.
According to the Principal, a woman had earlier cried into the school, claiming she was there to confirm her grandchild had not been kidnapped.
“When the woman cried to us that she wanted to confirm that her grandchild was safe, we called out to the child and she even gave her money.
“We didn’t know there were rumours in the town of Iperu that our children were kidnapped. Before we knew it, parents started trooping in to pick up their children.
“I tried to stop them, but they were adamant. I even told them to sign before they went away with the kids, but they wouldn’t listen.
“Some of them even said their children would not come to school again until this place is fenced. There is nothing like kidnapping here. We are all safe. I think the recent cases of kidnapping around Iperu triggered this fear. We are fine here, but the parents have taken away their children,” Mrs. Yusuf stated.
About eight gunmen had invaded Ajadeh Event Centre in Iperu Remo along Sagamu road three weeks ago, killing a lecturer from Babcock University Ilisan Remo, Yinka Olowojobi, and abducting two others.
Also, gunmen numbering up to seven reportedly killed one person and abducted seven other travellers along the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway on Friday.
The gunmen said to be armed with AK-47 rifles had waylaid and attacked the travellers in between the Ilisan, Ceplast industry and Iperu junction axis of the highway.
