Kidnapping syndicate demands N35m ransom, member dies during gun battle

A kidnapper, Festus Abama, has been killed by the
anti-kidnapping operatives of the Lagos State Police Command during
a gun battle between the police and members of his kidnap syndicate
in the Agbowa area of Ikorodu.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti,
in a statement on Sunday, said a member of the kidnap syndicate,
Austine Ebimiyenwei, 27, was arrested, adding that the police were
making efforts to arrest other suspects, who fled from the scene of
the attack.

Oti said the kidnappers, who had held captive the daughter of
one Suleiman Ajumobi and the husband of one Veronica Ewuru, had
demanded N35m for the release of the victims, adding that the Lagos
State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, had directed
operatives handling the matter to play along with the kidnappers in
the interest of the victims, who were still in captivity.

He said, “The Anti-kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police
Command, acting on the directive of the command’s Commissioner of
Police, Edgal Imohimi, on Friday, November 23, 2018, around 11am,
smashed a kidnappers’ syndicate at Agbowa, Ikorodu, leading to the
arrest of one Austine Ebimiyenwei, 27, a native of Arogbo Azapa
community of Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo State and the recovery of the corpse
of one Festus Abama, who died during an exchange of fire, while two
escaped with bullet wounds.

“The command had earlier on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, and
Friday, November 16, 2018, received two separate reports from one
Suleiman Ajumobi and one Veronica Ewuru about the kidnap of their
daughter and husband, respectively. While Suleiman Ajumobi reported
that his seven-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in
his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, Deputy
Superintendent of Police, Patrick Ewuru, a police officer attached
to the Force Headquarters Annex, Obalende, was kidnapped from their
house in the night when the victim came out to check on the power
generating set that suddenly stopped working.

“The kidnappers demanded ransom of N25m from Suleiman and N10m
from the family of DSP Patrick Ewuru, but later settled for
N500,000 for both families. At this point, the CP directed the
operatives handling the matter to play along with the kidnappers in
the interest of the victims, who were still in captivity. As soon
as the release of the two victims was secured, the kidnappers’
hideout at Agbowa was busted and the aforementioned kidnapper was
killed in the ensuing gun battle, while Austine Ebimiyenwei
surrendered.”

Oti said the victims had identified Ebimiyenwei and the deceased
as those who kidnapped them, adding that Ebimiyenwei, who also
reportedly confessed to the crime, would be charged to court.

Related