Officers and men of the Oyo State Police Command were shocked when a lady, without mincing words and staring them straight in the eyes, thundered proudly: “Yes, I’m a professional kidnapper.”
The lady, Bisi Babatunde, aka Vivian, is believed to be the leader of a gang of kidnappers.
Babatunde told the police that she and her gang were behind the kidnap of an industrialist in the state.
She also revealed that the gang has offices in almost all the states in Nigeria.
The gang met its Waterloo after it kidnapped the National Life Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Mines and Agriculture, Chief Festus Adebowale Omotoso.
Omotosho was abducted in his hometown in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Aside from Babatunde, six other members are in the police cooler.
Police said two others escaped with gunshot wounds.
According to the lady, she sells herb as a cover in Port Harcourt, Rivers State but is actually a professional kidnapper.
Apparently singing to shock, she smiled and said: “I’ve been involved in fraudulent activities by posing to be herbalist in Port Harcourt. I bought a car with the proceeds. I was involved in kidnapping in Port Harcourt but I was not fully involved in this one.
“We have offices in Port Harcourt, Lagos and so on. After returning home to Awe, I went to a brother called Laide and asked him to do ‘juju’ for me. He told me that he knew Baba (Omotoso) and that I should call Lucky to come and kidnap him because he had refused to settle his family for the death of his brother in his (Omotoso’s) swimming pool. I was given N750,000 from the proceeds.”
At least N5.5 million was collected from the victim’s family.
The 78-year-old NACCIMA boss said immediately the kidnappers stormed his house they demanded for dollars.
Omotosho said: “I was having a chat with my friends at home in Awe around 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 4, when we saw some people coming into the house. They demanded for all the dollars in the house and threatened to kill us all if we did not cooperate.
“I just returned from the United States where I had gone for treatment. They took all they wanted and just when we thought it was all over, they asked me to come with them. I was blindfolded and bundled into a waiting car outside. I was taken to an abandoned village house and I stayed there for four days before I was transferred to this place.”
Lady gleefully boasts: I’m a professional kidnapper, we have offices everywhere
