A suspected kidnapper, believed to be in his 20s, has revealed that he and his gang, who specialised in kidnapping for rituals, have abducted many children in Kwara State.
The suspect, who allegedly attempted to lure a child away, was intercepted on Friday evening by community members in Ilorin, the state capital.
Before the arrival of the police patrol team, who subsequently whisked him away, the suspect was reportedly being beaten by a mob.
During a brief on-the-spot interrogation, which video is now circulating online, the suspect admitted that child abduction had become a routine operation for his group in the state.
The suspect, visibly in pain from the mob action, spoke in Pidgin English, “I don’t know the number again… We’ve done it many times.
“Our oga (leader) dey Dagbolu for Osogbo side. Na him dey send us money. E don give me N10 million before.”
While Ilorin serves as a key base for sourcing, the suspect revealed that the syndicate he works with operates across multiple states.
ALSO READ: Abducted Ondo APC chair killed after N5m ransom payment
According to him, the syndicate often moved the children out of Kwara within hours of abduction to avoid detection, also named a few other alleged collaborators.
The Kwara State Police Command, in a statement on Saturday by its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspect is in custody and undergoing intense interrogation.
The suspect who was rescued from mob action was immediately taken into custody, Adetoun said.
“We strongly advise against jungle justice. It obstructs the legal process and can lead to fatal mistakes. All suspicious activity should be reported to law enforcement promptly,” she said.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that the investigation is still ongoing to verify claims by the suspect to be part of a larger network operating out of Osun State.
“The Command is actively following leads to uncover the full extent of the alleged network. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” she added.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then