The police in Oyo State on Monday paraded seven suspects as the
kidnappers of the two-year-old twins of a popular Ibadan Islamic
cleric, Taofek Azeez, better known as “Akewugbagold.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Shina Olukolu, paraded
the suspects at the command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on
Monday.
The suspects include six men and a woman.
“Following the consistent and concerted efforts put in place by
the Command’s Special Anti-robbery Squad, (SARS), Anti-kidnapping
Squad (AKS) and other Police Tactical teams and the unflinching
supports of the good people of Oyo State through credible
information supplied to the Police, all suspect connected to the
case of the kidnapping of the 2-year old twins of Alhaji Taofeek
Azeez “Akewugbagold” on the 25th April, 2020, have been arrested
and substantial parts of the ransom collected with the gun used for
the operation, and the two operational vehicles, with one
motorcycle were recovered from suspects,” he said.
Mr Olukolu recalled that the Ojoo Divisional Police
Headquarters, Ibadan, received a report on April 25 that some
criminals had invaded the residence of the Islamic cleric with
guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
“The notorious criminals attacked his wife and subsequently
abducted his two-year old twins to an unknown destination. The
criminal assailants later demanded for ransom of fifty million
Naira before the two abducted babies would be released life,” the
police boss said.
“As soon as the incident was reported at Ojoo Police Station and
later transferred to AKS Eleyele/SARS office Dugbe, Ibadan, a team
of AKS/SARS operatives swung into action while concerted efforts
were intensified to rescue the abducted babies and arrest the
perpetrators of the heinous crime.
“The abducted babies were released unhurt eight days later after
their father had parted with an alleged sum of four million naira
only as ransom to the hoodlums,” Mr Olukolu said.
“Consequent upon this, the investigating team embarked on a
painstaking detailed discreet investigation that traversed several
states, including Adamawa and Sokoto and in the process, the
following members of the notorious armed robbery cum kidnapping
syndicate who later identified themselves as Rildwan Taiwo ‘m’,
Rafiu Mutiu ‘m’, Olumide Ajala ‘m’, Fatai Akanji ‘m’, Bashiru
Mohammed ‘m’, Opeyemi Oyeleye ‘m’ and one Rafiu Modinat ‘f’, a
female member of the gang who was detailed to take care of the
babies while in captivity, were all arrested in their respective
hideouts in connection with the crime.’
“Exhibits recovered are: one locally made cut to size single
barrel gun, eight live cartridges, one Nissan MICRA Car with REG
NO. JJJ 703 BJ which was used for the criminal activity and another
Nissan MICRA Car with REG NO NRK 864 YR partly paid for from part
of the ransom, the sum of Two million, eight hundred and
sixty-three thousand naira only, (N2, 863,000.00) being part of the
ransom, an unregistered TVS Motorcycle which was equally used to
monitor, execute the operation and buy food for the abducted babies
were all recovered from the hoodlums.”
The commissioner said the suspects have confessed to the crime
and given details of their individual roles in it. He said the
police will continue to investigate the incident, and urged members
of the public to always support the police with “credible, timely
and useful information that will enable them to combat crimes and
criminalities in the state.”
Speaking at the event, the father of the abducted twins, Mr
Azeez, denied a report that he was not taking care of his domestic
staff which led to some of them planning the abduction of the
infant twins.
“I am taking a proper care of my staff but it is just that
someone who is not contented can never be satisfied in this
life.”
He said the two suspected masterminds of the kidnapping,
identified as Opeyemi and Basir, were his casual workers.
“They are casual workers introduced to me by Oriyomi Hamsat when
I need social media handlers. They were just casual workers to me
because I employed them based on some agreement which I
fulfilled.”
The cleric thanked the commissioner of police, saying the
“Nigeria police is not as bad as what people used to think they
are.”
One of the suspects, Mohammed Bashir, while speaking with
journalists, said he and his friend masterminded the kidnapping of
the twins.
“I don’t have much to say than for God to forgives us for what
we have done. I’ve been working with him as one of his media team
for the past two years. It is not that he is not paying us, but all
I can say that it was the work of devil.”
The female suspect, Ms Modinat, was alleged to have provided
custody for the abducted twins.
“I was given N20,000 for keeping custody of the children. I
collected the money and used it to buy some goods I am selling. I
asked them the purpose of the money but they told me they just gave
me the money,” the suspect said.
The police in Oyo State on Monday paraded seven suspects as the
kidnappers of the two-year-old twins of a popular Ibadan Islamic
cleric, Taofek Azeez, better known as “Akewugbagold.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Shina Olukolu, paraded
the suspects at the command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on
Monday.
The suspects include six men and a woman.
“Following the consistent and concerted efforts put in place by
the Command’s Special Anti-robbery Squad, (SARS), Anti-kidnapping
Squad (AKS) and other Police Tactical teams and the unflinching
supports of the good people of Oyo State through credible
information supplied to the Police, all suspect connected to the
case of the kidnapping of the 2-year old twins of Alhaji Taofeek
Azeez “Akewugbagold” on the 25th April, 2020, have been arrested
and substantial parts of the ransom collected with the gun used for
the operation, and the two operational vehicles, with one
motorcycle were recovered from suspects,” he said.
Mr Olukolu recalled that the Ojoo Divisional Police
Headquarters, Ibadan, received a report on April 25 that some
criminals had invaded the residence of the Islamic cleric with
guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
“The notorious criminals attacked his wife and subsequently
abducted his two-year old twins to an unknown destination. The
criminal assailants later demanded for ransom of fifty million
Naira before the two abducted babies would be released life,” the
police boss said.
“As soon as the incident was reported at Ojoo Police Station and
later transferred to AKS Eleyele/SARS office Dugbe, Ibadan, a team
of AKS/SARS operatives swung into action while concerted efforts
were intensified to rescue the abducted babies and arrest the
perpetrators of the heinous crime.
“The abducted babies were released unhurt eight days later after
their father had parted with an alleged sum of four million naira
only as ransom to the hoodlums,” Mr Olukolu said.
“Consequent upon this, the investigating team embarked on a
painstaking detailed discreet investigation that traversed several
states, including Adamawa and Sokoto and in the process, the
following members of the notorious armed robbery cum kidnapping
syndicate who later identified themselves as Rildwan Taiwo ‘m’,
Rafiu Mutiu ‘m’, Olumide Ajala ‘m’, Fatai Akanji ‘m’, Bashiru
Mohammed ‘m’, Opeyemi Oyeleye ‘m’ and one Rafiu Modinat ‘f’, a
female member of the gang who was detailed to take care of the
babies while in captivity, were all arrested in their respective
hideouts in connection with the crime.’
“Exhibits recovered are: one locally made cut to size single
barrel gun, eight live cartridges, one Nissan MICRA Car with REG
NO. JJJ 703 BJ which was used for the criminal activity and another
Nissan MICRA Car with REG NO NRK 864 YR partly paid for from part
of the ransom, the sum of Two million, eight hundred and
sixty-three thousand naira only, (N2, 863,000.00) being part of the
ransom, an unregistered TVS Motorcycle which was equally used to
monitor, execute the operation and buy food for the abducted babies
were all recovered from the hoodlums.”
The commissioner said the suspects have confessed to the crime
and given details of their individual roles in it. He said the
police will continue to investigate the incident, and urged members
of the public to always support the police with “credible, timely
and useful information that will enable them to combat crimes and
criminalities in the state.”
Speaking at the event, the father of the abducted twins, Mr
Azeez, denied a report that he was not taking care of his domestic
staff which led to some of them planning the abduction of the
infant twins.
“I am taking a proper care of my staff but it is just that
someone who is not contented can never be satisfied in this
life.”
He said the two suspected masterminds of the kidnapping,
identified as Opeyemi and Basir, were his casual workers.
“They are casual workers introduced to me by Oriyomi Hamsat when
I need social media handlers. They were just casual workers to me
because I employed them based on some agreement which I
fulfilled.”
The cleric thanked the commissioner of police, saying the
“Nigeria police is not as bad as what people used to think they
are.”
One of the suspects, Mohammed Bashir, while speaking with
journalists, said he and his friend masterminded the kidnapping of
the twins.
“I don’t have much to say than for God to forgives us for what
we have done. I’ve been working with him as one of his media team
for the past two years. It is not that he is not paying us, but all
I can say that it was the work of devil.”
The female suspect, Ms Modinat, was alleged to have provided
custody for the abducted twins.
“I was given N20,000 for keeping custody of the children. I
collected the money and used it to buy some goods I am selling. I
asked them the purpose of the money but they told me they just gave
me the money,” the suspect said.