One shot dead as police arrest suspected kidnappers of Ekiti pupils

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested eight members of a kidnapping syndicate that abducted some school children and their teachers in Emure Ekiti. 

Parading the suspected kidnappers at the weekend, the spokesperson of the command, Sunday Abutu, said the breakthrough was made possible through the dogged efforts of men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

Abutu said that while the police was trying to apprehend the kidnappers, there was an exchange of gunfire, which led to the killing of one of the suspects.

According to the PPRO, items recovered from the suspects included one (1) AK 47 assorted rifle, one (1) pump action gun loaded with five (5) live cartridges, twenty-one (21) AK 47 live ammunition, and expended shells of AK-47 ammunition.

Others are one (1) face-mask, one (1) nose mask, two (2) pairs of hand glove, twenty (20) different handsets, one (1) National ID Card bearing Salisu Mohammed, two (2) MTN sim cards, and one (1) airtel sim card.

“In our relentless and deliberate efforts to rid the state of criminal elements, especially kidnappers, and the quest to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums behind the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti and the kidnapping of some school children and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti as well as other kidnapping incidents in the state, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) commenced a thorough investigation and operation, and arrested eight members of a kidnapping syndicate and neutralised one,” the spokesperson stated. 

“On 8/02/2024 at about 1300hrs, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) received a credible tip-off that a gang of armed men has invaded a farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and were planning to kidnap some expatriates in Dairy Farmland, Ikun-Ekiti. Upon receipt of the information, a team of RRS operatives swung into action and arrested one Abubakar Aliyu who was on a mission to spy on the actual location of the expatriates,” 

He disclosed that after Mr Aliyu’s arrest, the leader of the kidnapping gang identified as Sumo Karami sent two vigilante members – one Saliu Ibrahim and Umaru Saliu – to secure the bail of the arrested gang member from police custody.

The two vigilante members were arrested and subsequently led the RRS operatives to Oro-Ago town where one Mohammed Bashiru, the leader of Miyetti Allah vigilante in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, was arrested.

“During interrogation, Mohammed Bashiru revealed that he is a relative of Sumo Karami, who is a leader of a dreaded kidnapping gang and that Abubakar Aliyu is one of his gang members who have been terrorising and kidnapping innocent citizens. Initial investigation revealed that Sumo Karami and his gang members were responsible for the kidnapping of the pupils and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti on 29 January 2024. 

“Meanwhile, the phone used to demand for ransom for the release of the pupils and the teachers was recovered from the suspects and further efforts led to the arrest of two more gang members, namely, Yahaya Jubril and Usman Garba in Owo forest, Ondo State,” Abutu said.

The PPRO said that further investigation led to the arrest of one Kenneth Ugwu in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 14 February. According to him, during interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a kidnapping syndicate that kidnapped five pupils, three teachers and a driver in Emure-Ekiti.

“The suspect led a team of RRS operatives to the kidnappers’ hideout inside Agric Reserved Forest between Ise-Ekiti/Emure-Ekiti. On sighting the police, the armed hoodlums engaged the team in a gun duel. In the process, one of the gang members, who was later identified as Ayuba, was neutralized; one Abubakar Mohammed was captured alive while other gang members escaped through the forest.

“Investigation revealed that the syndicate was responsible for the kidnapping of one Paul Omotosho, the APC chairman, Ekiti State, along Agbado/Imesi, Ekiti road on 8 July last year, the kidnapping of Mr. and Mrs. Awoniyi along Ikere/Itaogbolu road in January this year and the kidnapping of teachers and pupils of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti on 29 January this year,” Abutu added.