Police raid kidnappers’ hideout, arrest 3, rescue victims

The Police in Lagos have confirmed the arrest of three suspected kidnappers in the Ijanikin area of the state.

The Zonal Public Relations Officer (ZPRO), SP. Umma Ayuba, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

She gave the names of the suspects as Samuel Kwasi, 64, Monday Unachukwu, 24, and Freeman Ekpebo, 23.

The ZPPRO said operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, raided the kidnappers’ hideout at the Ijanikin area, arrested the syndicate, and rescued two victims in a swift operation.

She said that the suspects had kidnapped two persons and demanded N150 million.

“On March 26, at 6 p.m., a resident of Millionaire Estate, Oniru, Lagos, reported the kidnap of her 10-year-old son, maid, (names withheld for security reasons), and driver, Mr Samuel Kwasi, in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

“She further revealed that the kidnappers demanded N150 million ransom.”

“Acting on this intelligence, a team of detectives led by CSP Tijjani Taofiq (Officer-in-Charge of the Zonal Monitoring Unit), acted swiftly utilising advanced tracking techniques and intelligence gathering,” she said.

Ayuba said the team pinpointed the kidnappers’ hideout in the Ayetoro area of Ijanikin, Badagry Road, Lagos.

“On March 28, at 3.40 p.m., the officers raided the hideout at Cozzy Hotel, Ijanikin, where one of the suspects, Unachukwu, was arrested and the victims rescued unharmed.

“In a coordinated operation, Kwasi, the driver and Ekpebo, were apprehended at Sun Era Hotel, Ijanikin, where they were allegedly waiting to receive the ransom,” she said.

According to the ZPRO, investigations revealed that Kwasi was the principal suspect and mastermind of the kidnap.

“Kwasi has confessed to demobilising the car’s tracking device before the operation.

“The car’s tracking device and a knife were recovered from the hotel room at Sun Era Hotel, Ijanikin, where the suspects lodged,” she said.

Ayuba said that the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in-charge of the zone, Mr Olatoye Durosinmi, commended the Police officers for the swift response and also appreciated the community for its cooperation and vigilance.

She said that the AIG also urged parents and guardians to be cautious and conduct thorough background checks when employing domestic staffers.

According to her, the command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents of Lagos and Ogun States. (NAN)

By Deborah Akpede