A group of daredevil kidnappers including a vulcanizer with their leader identified as Bummi Ogunremi has been arrested by Ekiti State police command.
The police said the suspects were allegedly responsible for series of abduction of notable people in the state.
They were said to have been involved in the abduction of a renowned oil dealer, Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami in January, 2021.
Similarly, the criminal gang were allegedly responsible for the abduction of the former Surveyor General of Ekiti State’s wife ,Mrs Osalusi Funmilola, one Olowo Bolaji and Abiodun Ajayi, who died as a result of injuries sustained during the kidnap.
While Akinbami was picked up at his filling station, Mrs Osalusi was kidnapped at her residence within the vicinity of the petrol dealer’s business premises located along Federal Polytechnic road, Ado Ekiti.
In order to arrest the other kingpin who is currently at large, the Command has also placed a N5 million price tag as a reward for anyone with useful information about his whereabouts.
Parading the suspects in Ado Ekiti ,the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu said the alleged culprits were arrested on 6th November, 2021, at about 4pm, by operatives of Rapid Response Squad(RRS), based on a thorough investigation and tips from members of the public.
Abutu said: “During interrogation, the suspects confessed to be responsible for the kidnapping of one Olowo Bolaji ‘m’ in Ipoti-Ekiti on 29th January, 2020. They also confessed to have kidnapped one Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami, a petrol dealer, who was kidnapped on 10th January, 2021 in Ado-Ekiti.
“The suspects stated that they kidnapped one Mrs Osalusi Dapo, the wife of a former Ekiti State Surveyor General sometime this year. The suspect further confessed that their syndicate kidnapped late Chief Abiodun Ajayi earlier this year in Ado-Ekiti who jumped from their vehicle but later died in the hospital during treatment due to the injuries he sustained.
“The suspects said they usually keep their victims in his father’s house, one late Chief Bafon, located at Water Works, Ado-Ekiti and sometimes move them to Ayere Forest in Kogi State before demanding for ransom.
“They also mentioned Samuel Ebira, Jimoh Dele known as Dele Petim, Dayo Igwe and Johnson Okada, who are presently at large as other members of their gang. Concerted effort led to the arrest of one Taiwo Fayoke, who confessed to be their food supplier whenever victims are held hostage”.
While being interrogated, the Vulcanizer, Ige Adu, who is from Ikere Ekiti, said he was the one who identified Akinbami when the operation was about to be carried out, saying he had made over N600,000 being compensation given on the kidnap
“I was the one who identified Alhaji Akinbami for them. I also participated in the kidnap of Mrs Osalusi. I was given N100,000 on Akinbami’s abduction while I received N450,000 for the second operation. I have made a total of N550,000 from the operations I was involved”.
One of the arrowheads of the kidnap syndicate, Bunmi Ogunremi, said he had carried out four operations in Ekiti, since he started the criminal business, revealing that his tentacles had spread to the neighbouring states of Osun,Kogi and Ondo States.
“When we started, my duty was to drive those suspects who are at large. I drove Alhaji Akinbami and the Surveyor General’s wife to our hideout in Kogi. I have only involved in four kidnap operations”.