The Lagos State Police Command on September 7, 2018 busted a kidnappers’ den located at 15, Irepodun Street, Egan, Igando, Lagos, operated by a mother, Aminat Karimu Ajibola, age 60, and her two sons, Akeem Bashiru, 32, and Ojo Solomon, 26.
The family, according to the police, is a deadly bunch of kidnappers who thrives by using the social media to lure out their victims and put them in captivity until a ransom is paid.
According to a statement by the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Chike Oti, the trio met their waterloo when one Bridget Obazee approached the Divisional Police Officer in charge Igando Police Station, CSP Taiwo Kasumu, at about 4am on September 7, 2018 and complained to him that her brother, Osahon Obazee, has been missing for days and that the kidnappers were threatening to kill him unless she pays N1.5 million.
Obazee added that they warned her not to involve the police else her brother will be killed.
The DPO quickly contacted the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, who reinforced his team with men drafted from the Intelligence Unit of the Command and together they left in search of the victim.
At about 11am that day, through discreet investigation, Ajibola, a Chief Priestess and custodian of an Ifa shrine, and her two sons, Akeem Bashiru and Ojo Solomon, were arrested.
Also rescued during the operation were two other victims found in the apartment, Fadugbagbe Akindele, male, of 7, Peace Crescent, Salolo, Meiran, Lagos State, and Ekwegbalu Augustine, who was lured all the way from Anambra State with a promise of a job placement in an oil company.
They had been held for weeks by the kidnappers pending payment of ransom by their families.
All those rescued had been identified and reunited with their relations.
During interrogation, the youngest member of the family of kidnappers, Ojo Solomon, confessed that he was able to lure out the victims with the promise of getting them employment and to some a gay relationship.
His mother empowers him and his brother spiritually with charms to intimidate and instil fear in their victims.
Oti said in the statement: “The CP Lagos hopes that by this feat and several others in the past, criminals ought to have seen how futile it is to carry out their trade in any part of the state no matter how far flung the area may be. He therefore warns that criminal elements in the state should either repent or be busted as Lagos is no hibernation ground for criminals. He thanks the good people of Lagos state for their cooperation by way of giving the police credible and timely information.”