DSS operatives assisted me to ‘kidnap’ businessman in Osun ― Suspect

A middle-aged man identified as Akeem Ogunnibi at the weekend revealed that he worked hand in hand with Department of State Security (DSS) operatives to ‘kidnap’ an Osogbo-based businessman, Mallam Bala, at Sabo area of the town.

Ogunbiyi who stated this after being paraded by the Osun State Police Commissioner, Olowale Olokode, at the state police headquarters in the town, affirmed that he was assisted by some DSS operatives of the Department of State Security to retrieve the money he was underpaid from a sale of a gold chain.

According to him, “Bala, (the victim) is a friend, he underpaid for a gold chain he bought from my brothers and when I confronted him, I was not satisfied with his explanation. Hence, I decided to call people I know in the DSS to deal with him.

“He paid N680,000 for a chain that is worth N972,000. So, I went to five DSS officers and we went to his place, picked him and took him to their command in Osogbo.

“He was not taken into the command. They collected the money from him, I was in the car when they negotiated. I am not aware of what was demanded, but he paid N210,000 and I was given N15,000.

“The DSS operatives were also arrested but I don’t know why they were not paraded but I am sure they were arrested as well.”

Speaking on the kidnapped businessman, the commissioner of police hinted that it was the victim, a bureau de change operator in Osogbo that reported that he was whisked away from his office by gun-wielding men on December 30, 2021, around 5:30 pm.

He explained further that the victim stressed that he was driven to a bush path along Ilesa road and they demanded ransom before he could be freed, adding that he was dispossessed of the N204,000 on him and abandoned at the place.

CP Olokode however assured that the command would get to the root of the matter and the suspect would be brought to book.

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