BY ADOLPHUS DURU
Two Lagos communities in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have cried out over the high rate of kidnapping and have appealed for the Federal Government’s intervention especially as the Christmas season approaches.
Speaking on the frequency at which kidnap syndicates operate unhindered in Egan, Igando and Ikotun communities, the chairman of Olorufemi/Akinola Community Development Association, Mustapha Hassan, in a chat with the press, called for a more proactive approach, saying that security agencies seem to be helpless. He said that over 20 cases have been reported in his CDA, with some cases reported to the police, while others were not reported for fear of reprisal attacks.
“We have had over 20 reported and unreported cases of this menace this year, with striking resemblance of similar cases in 2014. I vividly recall some cases of audacious kidnapping of wealthy business moguls in our area, such as the chairman of Kings Oil and Chairman,Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Dapsey Petrol station, Chief Oladapo Coker, who was monitored and kidnapped on September 22nd, 2014, at Lanre bus stop area of Igando,Lagos state and released October 1st, 2014, after his family paid ransom of N20 million to his captors,” he said.
Collaborating Hassan, another CDA leader, Chief Akewesola Adekunle, of Santa Maria/ Adeolowu CDA, blamed security failure while narrating how he witnessed the abduction of a resident in his area, identified as Chief Solomon Onuchukwu, who was said to have been abducted while returning from work in October, 2023.
Apportioning blame on inefficiency and inadequate security in the rural, suburban areas of Lagos, Adekunle said that the difference between kidnapping incidents 2023 and 2014, is that in 2014, there was a police officer called Abba Kyari who combated and reduced the spate of kidnappings in Lagos State. According to him,”It was SP Abba Kyari who rescued my brother, Chief Oladapo Coker, on October 1st and arrested some of the leaders of the gangs that kidnapped him on September 22, 2014 in Igando.”
Narrating his ordeal, Coker said on September 22, 2014, he just closed from work and was driving home and was about dropping off a member of his staff at a bus stop along the Igando -LASU road, when the kidnappers struck.
“On September 22, 2014, at about 8.30pm, two vehicles, a Honda pilot Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a Sienna bus double crossed me and the occupant and started firing gun shots. I thought they were armed robbers but rather than taking my car, they forced me into their bus and used a tape to blindfold me.They called me by my name and warned me to cooperate with them as they were notorious kidnappers that could waste lives of those who would not cooperate with them. They started driving and making U-turns until we arrived at a house where I was locked up inside the toilet. They searched my pockets and collected my money. They then demanded for one million dollar ransom or they will transfer me to Bayelsa state,where they said they would butcher and sell my body parts, as one hand sold for N6 million
“I told them that I had only N20 million in my account. When they refused to accept my offer, I had no alternative but to try to escape. I succeeded in removing the chains on my hands and I was breaking the ceiling where I was planning to escape when one of them saw me and chained me again. I started crying and begging that it was the devil that tempted me.The guy promised to assist me talk to his colleagues to accept N30 million if I could give him N2 million. I promised him one million. He actually talked to them and they accepted N30 million offer. I paid N20 million and promised to pay the balance of N10 million and I was told to swear an oath. They put some bullets inside water, did some incantations and gave me the water to drink, after which I was released,” he recalled.
A member of the local government area security council, Badmus Johnson, called for increased police patrol of Abaranje, Ijegun, Ijedodo and governors road areas, where he said that kidnappers recently shot sporadically for almost 30 minutes without the visibility of any security agencies and in the ensuing confusion, a businessman identified as Chimex and three others were kidnapped and kept in captivity until each of them paid N4m before they were released.
Beyond Igando, Ikotun and Alimosho, kidnappers have reportedly abducted several high-profile individuals and collected millions in ransom. Two weeks ago, the owner of an eatery in Okota was also abducted and kept in an undisclosed location for several days before his family raised N10m ransom payment before he was released.
Community leaders revealed that the kidnapping syndicate usually operate between 8pm and 11pm and move around in exotic vehicles to get their targets. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin, said that the police are aware of the kidnappings and are taking actions to apprehend them.
He explained that the Commissioner of Police , CP Idowu Ohowunwa, now promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, has also summoned all the tactical teams and given them marching orders to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book without delay
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