The Anti-kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, has smashed a kidnapping syndicate at Agbowa, Ikorodu, leading to the arrest of 27-year-old Austine Inuesokan Ebimiyenwei, a native of Arogbo Azapa community of Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo state and recovery of corpse of one Festus Abama who died during exchange of fire while two escaped with bullet wounds.
The Command had on November 13th and 16th respectively, received two separate reports from one Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi and one Veronica Ewuru ‘f ‘ about the kidnapping of their daughter and husband respectively. While Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi reported that his 7-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, one 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 for ransom of twenty five million Naira (N25,000,000) from Mr Suleiman and ten million Naira (N10,000,000 ) from the family of DSP Patrick Ewuru but later settled for five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) for both families.
At this point, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi, 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 Austine Inuesokan Ebimiyenwei as those who kidnapped them. Concerted effort is being made to arrest those on the run while the suspect already in police custody will be charged to court.
