The police command has rescued a three-year-old girl, Nimotallah Sulaimon, from a 39-year-old woman, Oluwatoyin Lasisi, who allegedly abducted her on September 22, 2019, at Muslim community in Ibadan, the State capital.

The police equally recorded a breakthrough in Ibarapa zone of the state by arresting five suspected kidnappers who abducted and later freed a 17-year-old son of a Fulani herder, Shakiru Weti, after collecting a ransom of N1million in Igangan. However, the police recovered from them the N1million they collected as ransom, and the phones they operated with.

The five suspects were Kehinde Adeoye, 30, said to be the gang leader; Yuguda Jayum, 22; Bature Dogo, 20; Kazeem Suke and Maanu Garuba. Jayum was said to have masterminded the abduction of his boss’ son because he owed him money said to be equivalent to the price of three cows, insisting that it was an attempt to get his money back.

The suspects

The Oyo state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, paraded the six suspects arrested in connection with the two cases before journalists at Eleyele, Ibadan, on Thursday.

CP Olukolu said that the woman that allegedly abducted a child in Ibadan  was seen with the victim in a suspicious manner at Olorunsogo area of Ibadan, saying: “She was intercepted and when interrogated, she informed the police that she was in the area to beg for alms when she sighted the girl who was later identified as Nimotallah Sulaimon unattended to and strolling away. She thereafter took her to the Muslim area of Ibadan where she resides.

“Sequel to this, her neighbours on sighting Oluwatoyin with the girl, challenged her and inquired how she came about the child. She told lies that the girl belongs to her elder brother and his wife who had a conflict earlier that day and that was the reason she brought the girl to her house at Muslim area of Ibadan.

“The community members who did not believe her story reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ogbere and after a preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the child was abducted.”

The suspect, Oluwatoyin, while speaking with journalist at the police headquarters, Eleyele, said it was not true that she abducted the child, saying she saw her at a dumpsite and carried her away from the place to stabilise her. She said she took the child to her house where she fed her with puff-puff and rainwater, after which she decided to take her to the police station, and that she was arrested on her way to the police station.

But the mother of the abducted child, Nafisat Dauda, and her husband, Sullaimon Dauda, said their baby was kidnapped when she was on her way to defecate. According to her mother, “I sell goods in front of our house. At about 11 a.m., my daughter told me she wanted to defecate and she would have to pass through the passage in our house, which is a face-to-face bungalow. I was looking at her as she was going and when she got to the spot at the back of the house, where she was to defecate, I faced my wares.

“About three minutes after, I went to the place to wash her up but couldn’t find her there. I raised the alarm and people joined us in looking for her. We reported the case at different police stations. But we thank God that my daughter was rescued about 3pm and the abductor was arrested.”

Speaking on the arrested five kidnap suspects, the CP stated that the Weti was kidnapped on September 17 and his abductors called on September 22 and demanded N1million ransom.

“The family members were encouraged to agree to pay the amount demanded. Hence, the money was handed over to one Babangida Shehu to be deposited at the agreed spot while the police detectives laid ambush. At about 20:00hrs, one Yuguda Jayum and one other came to pick the agreed ransom where it was kept. Consequently, in the process, one Yuguda Jayum was arrested with the ransom of N1million intact, while his accomplice escaped.”

Suspect