Police arrest kidnap gang member in Kwara

Kwara State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of a kidnap gang terrorizing residents of Aboto community in the Asa local government area of the state.

Tribune Online gathered that members of the kidnap syndicate had on Sunday kidnapped three persons in the area.

Speaking on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state command, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident, saying that one of the suspects had been arrested.

“Yes, it’s true and we have arrested one of the kidnappers. But the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

It was gathered that the kidnapping happened in two separate incidents between 2:00 – 6:00 pm on Sunday when one Abdulfatai was returning from the farm in his vehicle with his three children and was waylaid by the kidnappers. 

Two other apprentices of a chemist store were also kidnapped when they were passing through Aboto road on a bike that was ridden by one Saheed (Bakayoko) in a similar circumstance.

A source in the community said, “Abdulfatai escaped, leaving the three children inside the vehicle. The kidnappers freed the two younger siblings after they said they could find their way back home and abducted Abdulbasit, said to be about five years old.

“The second incident occurred around 6:pm when one Saheed popularly known as Bakayoko was conveying Ramat, an apprentice at a chemist store and her colleague (both teenagers of about 18 years) on a motorcycle when they were ambushed. But Bakayoko pretended that he wanted to get his shoes that fell off and escaped leaving the girls who were in their apprentice uniforms”, the source said.