Ogun State Police Command Discovers Kidnappers Den In Ijebu-Igbo

The Ogun State Police Command has discovered a den belonging to kidnappers in a neighborhood in Ijebu Igbo Area of the State.

Five suspects including a serving councillor in the State have been arrested by the police in connection with the discovery.

From a distance, the uncompleted building in 7, Egbe Road, Ijebu Igbo Area of Ogun East Senatorial District would pass for any other building where people live and earn their legitimate income.

But with a closer look, it’s not. Latest discovery by the police reveals it is a den for kidnappers.

Inside the building, in one of the dark rooms is a shrine with charms and other fetish items lavishly displayed.

While some of the suspects confessed to their crime, others denied any link.

Presently, five suspects are in police net including the serving councilor from Odogbolu Local Government Area of the State.

The Police Commissioner in the State, Valentine Ntomchukwu, said the two building would remain sealed while investigations continue.

Three members of the kidnapping syndicate were said to be at large.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, led the team to their den in Ijebu-Igbo which comprised of three bungalows in a remote part of the town.

The councillor, who said he regretted being arrested with the kidnappers, denied being part of the syndicate. He claimed it was his younger brother, who is currently at large that drew him into the mess.

He said, “My brother called that his car had problem around Itoikin-Sagamu, and he asked that I should release my car for him. I later released my car, but I never knew he was into kidnapping business. I feel bad being paraded with the kidnappers.”

Sunkanmi Dacosta who said he ran errands buying food for their victims, said the syndicate had collected various ransoms from their victims relations.

He said, “We had collected N900,000. We had collected N1.3m and N2m from our victims’ relations.”

Mukaila Olatunji who claimed to be a herbalist owns the houses that served as the dens where the victims were kept.

“We usually bring the victims at night. And I am the owner of one the guns recovered from us. I used it for hunting while I was young,” he said.

Ntomchukwu said the den contained a shrine where the suspects hypnotise their victims and fleeced their family members.

“They have had five people as their victims so far. Currently we are profiling them, to know the total amount they had collected from their victims.”

The men of SARS led by Mohammed Tijani led the team that smashed the syndicate last Monday through the arrest of Tunde Akilo. This led to the arrest of four others.