- By Halimah Olamide
The Police in Ekiti have said suspected kidnappers behind the kidnapping of pupils of an Emure Ekiti have been nabbed by its operatives.
While parading the suspects on Friday evening, the police spokesperson, Sunday Abutu, said the arrest was made possible through the relentless efforts of men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
Abutu said items recovered from the suspects included one (1) AK 47 assorted rifle, one (1) pump action gun loaded with five (5) live cartridges, twenty-one (21) AK 47 live ammunition, and expended shells of AK-47 ammunition.
He added that while the police was trying to apprehend the kidnappers, there was an exchange of gunfire, which led to the killing of one of the suspects.
“In our relentless and deliberate efforts to rid the state of criminal elements, especially kidnappers, and the quest to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums behind the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti and the kidnapping of some school children and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti as well as other kidnapping incidents in the state, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) commenced a thorough investigation and operation, and arrested eight members of a kidnapping syndicate and neutralised one.
“On 8/02/2024 at about 1300hrs, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) received a credible tip-off that a gang of armed men has invaded a farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and were planning to kidnap some expatriates in Dairy Farmland, Ikun-Ekiti. Upon receipt of the information, a team of RRS operatives swung into action and arrested one Abubakar Aliyu who was on a mission to spy on the actual location of the expatriates,” the spokesperson said.
Abutu explained that after Aliyu’s arrest, the leader of the kidnapping gang whose name was given as Sumo Karami had sent two emissaries who were vigilante members.
He gave the names of the duo as Saliu Ibrahim and Umaru Saliu to secure the bail of the arrested gang member from police custody.
The two vigilante members were thereafter arrested and subsequently led the RRS operatives to Oro-Ago town where one Mohammed Bashiru, the leader of Miyetti Allah vigilante in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, was arrested.
“During interrogation, Mohammed Bashiru revealed that he is a relative of Sumo Karami, who is a leader of a dreaded kidnapping gang and that Abubakar Aliyu is one of his gang members who have been terrorising and kidnapping innocent citizens. Initial investigation revealed that Sumo Karami and his gang members were responsible for the kidnapping of the pupils and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti on 29 January 2024.
“Meanwhile, the phone used to demand for ransom for the release of the pupils and the teachers was recovered from the suspects and further efforts led to the arrest of two more gang members, namely, Yahaya Jubril and Usman Garba in Owo forest, Ondo State,” Mr Abutu said.