The Police Command in Oyo State said it has arrested no fewer than 12 suspects allegedly connected with cases of kidnapping at Onigari on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Ngozi Onadeko, Oyo Police Commissioner, paraded the suspects on Thursday at the Command’s Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.
The command also paraded 20 other suspects involved in alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, murder and impersonation as an army officer.
Onadeko said that owing to the rising cases of kidnapping on Lagos/Ibadan expressway and murder at Onigari area of Oluyole Local Government Area on Jan. 7, the command immediately swung into action, deploying intelligence and tactical assets.
She said the deployment of policemen at 3.30p.m. on Jan. 14 led to the arrest of one of the suspects, alias Maku-Maku, who confessed to be among members of the gang that had been terrorising travellers on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
The CP stated further that investigation led to the arrest of other suspects while some are still at large.
Onadeko said the suspects confessed to have carried out the kidnapping operations that led to the death of one Oluwatosin Anwajoye, 45, at Onigari area on Jan.7.
One of the suspects, a commercial motor cyclist, confessed to be the one supplying the gang members food and other items.
He said he was always paid N10,000 for.each errand he ran for the gang.
He said the kidnappers promised to buy him a new motorcycle after their operation.
A victim of the gang, Folahan Olaleye, told journalists that his family was coming from Lagos on Dec. 24, 2021 at 8.00p.m., when they were attacked and kidnapped at Onigari area.
The victim said that he was shot while his daughter and pregnant wife were beaten.
He said that his wife and daughter were later released, but he was held in captivity and a ransom was demanded from his family.
Olaleye said that N2.75m ransom was subsequently paid for his release.
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