Police nab two suspected kidnappers, kill two in Ogun

We will beg God for forgiveness before our execution, armed robbery suspects say

Two suspected kidnappers who allegedly abducted three persons including the son of a Chief Imam of Ode-Omi in the Ogun waterside local government area of Ogun State have been arrested, while two other members of the group were killed in a gun duel.

The state Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, stated this yesterday, during a parade of the suspects at the police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta. Although, the two suspects who betrayed their emotion while speaking with newsmen claimed that they were never involved in kidnapping, said they were relocating from one place to the other within the state when the police arrested them.

The Commissioner of police, however, countered their claims saying, they were placed under watch before running into the police ambush. Makama also added that his men had laid ambush close to the creeks after four officers sustained gun injuries during a gun duel with the suspects in which three of the suspected kidnappers were gunned down.

His words: “The efforts of Ogun State Police Command in checkmating the activities of hoodlums who have taken kidnapping as business yielded a positive result when four members of a gang who abducted three persons including a son of the Chief Imam of Ode-Omi Community on Sunday, August 11 were arrested by men of the command.

“At a stage, the policemen advanced to their hideout in the creeks and engaged them in gun battle; four policemen were injured in the process forcing the policemen to withdraw but laid ambush around the area.

“Unknown to them that they were being trailed, four members of the gang came out of the creeks probably to relocate to another place and police swooped on them and got them arrested. “ Recovered from them are two cut- to- size guns, four live cartridges, one cylinder, one boat engine and assorted charms.”

Makama further explained that some of the kidnappers who took to their heels during the operation immediately gathered and engage them in another gun battle while they were bringing the arrested suspects to the state headquarters for further investigation.

He said: “While the arrested suspects were being taken to Abeokuta by men of SARS, their other colleagues who have laid an ambush for them between Abigi and J4 attacked the team with a view of freeing their arrested members, resulting to cross-firing between the gang and the Police.

“At the end of the gun duel, two out of the arrested suspects and one of the attackers were fatally injured. One pump action gun belonging to the attackers and three expended cartridges were recovered at the scene of the ambush while some of the attackers escaped with bullet injuries.

“The Command hereby seizes this opportunity to appeal to members of the public, especially hospitals to report anybody seen with a gunshot injury to the police in their area.”

Also alongside the suspected kidnappers, the police also paraded 17 other suspected criminals ranging from cultists to armed robbers who specialised in snatching motorbikes, among others.

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama on Wednesday at the police headquarters in Abeokuta, as two robbery suspects said they would seek forgiveness from God before they are executed for murder.

Lekan Odusote (27) and Monday John (22) allegedly killed a commercial motorcycle operator in Ijebu-Ode, stole his motorcycle and sold it for N120,000. They were, however, arrested a few days later after their fight over the money attracted the attention of some members of the public who alerted the police.

Speaking with newsmen at the police headquarters, the suspects said they anticipated capital punishment for the offence but would seek God’s forgiveness before being executed so that they can make heaven.

The suspects, who are residents of Sanga area and Molipa Estate respectively in Ijebu-Ode, had lured their victim to Ikangba area of Obalende in the town, where they killed him and buried the corpse in an uncompleted building.