The Anti-kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command has shot dead one and arrested another member of the notorious gang that kidnapped a senior police officer and a seven-year – an old girl a few weeks ago at Agbowa area of Ikorodu.
The gang abducted a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP ) Patrick Ewuru at night when he went outside his flat to check on why his generating set suddenly went off. The gang had switched off the generating set as a bait for the DSP who actually fell into their waiting arms and he was kidnapped.
It was gathered that after abducting him, the kidnappers started demanding for an N10million ransom, but later collected N 500, 000 before DSP Ewuru was released.
Similarly, the same gang abducted seven- year -old daughter of Eniola Ajumobi in the same Agbowa. Ajumobi’ s daughter was kidnapped in his presence and her abductors demanded N 25million, but like the case of the DSP, they later collected N500,000 ransom before the child was released.
After the release of the victims, the police went after the hoodlums and during an encounter with the police, one of the suspected kidnappers was shot dead while another gang member was arrested by the police.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Chike Otti said, ” acting on the directive of the Command’s Commissioner of Police, CP Edgal Imohimi, on November 23 at about 1100 hours , the Anti kidnapping Unit of the command, smashed Kidnappers syndicate at Agbowa, Ikorodu, leading to the arrest of Ebimiyenwei, 27, a native of Arogbo Azapa community of Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo state and recovery of the body of Festus Abama who died during exchange of gun firing while two others escaped with bullet wounds.
” The Command had earlier on November 13 and 16 received two separate reports from Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi and Veronica Ewuru ‘ about the kidnapping of their daughter and husband respectively.
While Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi reported that his seven-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, DSP Patrick Ewuru, a police officer attached to 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 o N25 million N10 million from the family of Ajumobi and that of DSP Ewuru but later settled for N500,000 for both families. At this point, the CP directed 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 Inuesokan Ebimiyenwei surrendered.
” The suspect confessed to the crime and victims have identified both the deceased and Ebimiyenwei as those who kidnapped them. A concerted effort is being made to arrest those on the run while the suspect already in police custody will be charged to court.
It is the hope of CP Lagos that, criminals will take a look at the crime-busting record of the Command and see the futility of plying their trade in the state”, otti concluded.
