A thirteen-year-old girl, Susan Odunowo, has been rescued from a kidnap syndicate by men of the Ogun State police command. She had been kidnapped at the Onipanu area of Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of the state.
Four suspects: John Nelson, 21; Adeleke Ayotunde, 29; Adekunle Basit, 20 and Abey Fagbemi, 20, were arrested in connection with the crime, following a complaint lodged at the Onipanu divisional headquarters by one Adejunwon Odunowo.
Odunowo told police that his daughter had been sent on an errand by her mother at about 6:30 p.m. of 6th of May 2021, but didn’t return home. He later received an anonymous phone call demanding the sum of N500,000 as ransom, if he was to ever see his daughter again.
A statement by the public relations officer of the command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the Divisional Police Officer of Onipanu Division, CSP Bamidele Job, promptly detailed detectives on the case.
“On the 8th of May 2021, the detectives successfully traced one of the suspects to Cele Area of Ota, where he was arrested. His arrest led to the apprehension of two other members of the gang at a factory in Ota.
“It was then discovered that the victim was being kept in a room owned by Adekunle Basit. Detectives swiftly moved in there and rescued the victim unhurt,” he said.
The leader of the gang, Abbey Fagbemi, who fled immediately he heard of the arrest of his fellow gang members, was later arrested at about 7:30 am on Monday 10th of May 2021.
The victim has since been reunited with her family.
The Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, commended his men for their quick response to the incident, and has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the Anti-Kidnapping Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation and prosecution.
He also appealed to members of the public to adhere strictly to various security tips given by the command in order not to fall victim to kidnap syndicates.