Police operatives in Ekiti have arrested a gang of kidnappers allegedly responsible for the recent abduction of pupils and teachers from their school bus while returning home in the Emure Ekiti axis of the state.
The three teachers and the five pupils abducted on 29 January were released some days later after payment of ransom demanded by the gang of kidnappers. However, the driver of the bus was shot dead in custody.
In a statement on Friday, the spokesperson for Ekiti State Police Command, DSP Abutu Sunday, said eight more members of the kidnap gang have been arrested in an operation that started when information was received that they were planning to kidnap some expatriates working in Dairy Farmland, Ikun-Ekiti.
The police spokesperson said to actualise their plan, members of the gang had invaded farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and sent out one Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE to gather information on the expatriates. But the police got information and were able to arrest Aliyu.
But the leader of the kidnapping gang identified as Sumo Karami sent two of their members, one Saliu Ibrahim and one Umaru Saliu, to secure his bail from Police custody.
He said the two vigilante members were arrested and they led the police RRS operatives to Oro-Ago town where one Mohammed Bashiru, the leader of Miyetti Allah vigilante in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, was arrested.
“During interrogation, Mohammed Bashiru revealed that he is a relative of Sumo Karami who is a leader of a dreaded kidnapping gang and that Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE is one of his gang members who have been terrorising and kidnapping innocent citizens with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons.
“Initial investigation revealed that Sumo Karami and his gang members were responsible for the kidnapping of the Pupils and their Teachers in Emure-Ekiti on 29th January 2024.”
The police added that the phone used to demand ransom for the release of the pupils and the teachers was recovered from the suspects and effort led to the arrest of two gang members Yahaya Jubril and Usman Garba in Owo forest, Ondo State.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of one Kenneth Ugwu in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 14/02/2024. The suspect, during interrogation, confessed to being a member of a kidnapping syndicate that kidnapped 5 Pupils, three (3) teachers and a driver in Emure-Ekiti who was allegedly killed by the kidnappers.
“The suspect led a team of RRS operatives to the kidnapper’s hideout inside Agric Reserved Forest between Ise-Ekiti/Emure-Ekiti. On sighting the Police, the armed hoodlums engaged the team in a gun duel. In the process, one of the gang members who was later identified as AYUBA was neutralized, and one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Smallie was captured alive while other gang members escaped through the forest.
“Investigation revealed that the syndicate was responsible for the kidnapping of one Paul Omotosho, the APC Chairman, Ekiti State, along Agbado/Imesi, Ekiti road on 08/07/2023, the kidnapping of Mr and Mrs Awoniyi along Ikere/Itaogbolu road in the month of January this year and the kidnapping of teachers and pupils of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti on 29th January 2024. ”
The exhibit recovered from the suspects according to the police were; “One (1) AK 47 assorted rifle, One(1) pump action gun loaded with five (5) life cartridges,
Twenty-one (21) AK47 live ammunition, Expended shells of AK-47 ammunition, One (1) face-mask, One (1) Nose mask, Two (2) pairs of hand gloves, Twenty (20) different handsets, One (1) National ID Card bearing Salisu Mohammed, Two (2) MTN SIM cards and One (1) airtel sim card.”
Read the full statement by the police below
He said: “On 8/02/2024 at about 1300hrs, the Command Rapid Response Squad (RRS) received a credible tip-off that a gang of armed men had invaded farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and were planning to kidnap some Expatriates in Dairy Farmland, Ikun-Ekiti.
“Upon receipt of the information, a team of RRS operatives swung into action and arrested one ABUBAKAR ALIYU a.k.a SMALLIE who was on a mission to spy on the actual location of the Expatriates. After the arrest of Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE, the leader of the kidnapping gang identified as one Sumo Karami sent two (2) vigilante members, one Saliu Ibrahim and one Umaru Saliu, to secure the bail of the arrested gang member from Police custody.
“The two (2) vigilante members were arrested and they led the RRS operatives to Oro-Ago town where one Mohammed Bashiru, the leader of Miyetti Allah vigilante in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, was arrested.
“During interrogation, Mohammed Bashiru revealed that he is a relative of Sumo Karami who is a leader of a dreaded kidnapping gang and that Abubakar Aliyu a.k.a SMALLIE is one of his gang members who have been terrorising and kidnapping innocent citizens with AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons. Initial investigation revealed that Sumo Karami and his gang members were responsible for the kidnapping of the Pupils and their Teachers in Emure-Ekiti on 29th January 2024.”
The police added that the phone used to demand ransom for the release of the pupils and the teachers was recovered from the suspects and effort led to the arrest of two gang members Yahaya Jubril and Usman Garba in Owo forest, Ondo State.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of one Kenneth Ugwu in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 14/02/2024. The suspect, during interrogation, confessed to being a member of a kidnapping syndicate that kidnapped 5 Pupils, three (3) teachers and a driver in Emure-Ekiti who was allegedly killed by the kidnappers.
“The suspect led a team of RRS operatives to the kidnapper’s hideout inside Agric Reserved Forest between Ise-Ekiti/Emure-Ekiti. On sighting the Police, the armed hoodlums engaged the team in a gun duel. In the process, one of the gang members who was later identified as AYUBA was neutralized, and one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Smallie was captured alive while other gang members escaped through the forest.
“Investigation revealed that the syndicate was responsible for the kidnapping of one Paul Omotosho, the APC Chairman, Ekiti State, along Agbado/Imesi, Ekiti road on 08/07/2023, the kidnapping of Mr and Mrs Awoniyi along Ikere/Itaogbolu road in the month of January this year and the kidnapping of teachers and pupils of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Emure-Ekiti on 29th January 2024. ”
Items recovered from the gang “One (1) AK 47 assorted rifle,
One(1) pump action gun loaded with five (5) life cartridges,
Twenty-one (21) AK47 live ammunition,
Expended shells of AK-47 ammunition.,
One (1) face-mask,
One (1) Nose mask,
Two (2) pairs of hand gloves,
Twenty (20) different handsets,
One (1) National ID Card bearing Salisu Mohammed,
Two (2) MTN SIM cards and
One (1) airtel sim card.”
