Five men have been arrested by the Ondo State Police for kidnapping and robbing travellers across three states.
According to Sahara Reporters, Shehu Usman, 30; Ismaila Wakili, 19; Abdullahi Sanni, 33; Muhammed Abdullahi, 36; and Umoru Usman, 25 are part of a six-man gang that had been tormenting people travelling along Auga in Ondo State, Kabba in Kogi State and Ibilo in Edo State.
Shehu Usman had been declared wanted four years ago but was finally caught alongside members of his gang on earlier this month. This was after they had kidnapped a man named Prince Omoghae Igbegbon in Ondo State. They robbed him of the sum of N180,000 and captured him into the bush.
After the abduction, they demanded a sum of N30 million as a ransom for his release. A team of policemen were able to trail the kidnappers to their hideout on April, 3rd, 2019 in the Ibilo area of Edo State. There was an exchange of gunfire but they were able to escape without being caught. The victim was also able to escape into a community in Ibilo. However, the police force asked members of the surrounding communities to be on the look-out for strange faces. This was how Ismailia Wakili was caught.
Their most recent victim, Prince Omoghae Igbegbon was able to recognise Wakili’s face as one of the men who kidnapped and robbed him. This caused the police to interrogate him thoroughly and he confessed to the crimes levelled against him. He also mentioned the names of the other members of the gang and was able to lead the police to their hideout in Benin city, Edo where four other members of the gang were apprehended.
Two members of the gang also confessed that they pretended to be labourers so as to obtain information on victims they planned to rob and kidnap.
Ismaila Wakili who is the youngest member of the gang confessed that this was his first time kidnapping. PMNews reports that Wakili claimed to have been introduced to the gang by another member of the gang. He says:
“This is my first time of involving in kidnapping, I have never been involved before, it’s Abdullahi that introduced me to the business. Since I joined the gang, this is the only person that we have kidnapped, I swear I am not a killer even if I will die I will say the truth.”
He went further to explain the ransom that had been demanded the victim’s release was reduced to N5 million before they were eventually caught. He claims:
“Actually, when we kidnapped the man, we demanded a ransom of N30 million from him and after our first demand, our leader, Abdullahi, later reduced it to N5 million but the man said he doesn’t have much money that he can only provide N300,000. And Abdullahi said that we will not collect N300,000 from him but said that after two days if he didn’t add any money I should collect and leave the man”
Undie Adie, Commissioner of Police in Ondo State notes that some of the weapons found on the accused criminals was one pump action, single and double barrel guns and also charms.
