Ibadan, Nigeria – Suspected killers of the US-based Ogbomoso-born hotelier, Mr Gbenga Owolabi have been arrested and paraded at the Oyo State Police Command Headquarters Eleyele Ibadan.
The suspects were paraded alongside others suspected criminals for their alleged involvement in various criminal cases such as kidnapping for ransom, and armed robbery, among others within the state.
News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) gathered that Mr Olugbenga Owolabi and a student of LAUTECH, Rachael Opadele, were kidnapped and were later killed by their abductors after collecting N5 million ransom.
The victims were kidnapped on July 29 at Aba area of Ogbomoso and were later killed by their abductors on Aug. 2 after payment of the N5 million ransom.
While addressing newsmen at the Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP. Adewale Osifeso, said that the suspects were arrested after kidnapping another victim, one Alhaji Waheed Hameed, a Cattle dealer on Sept.16.
Osifeso said the suspected kidnappers, who have been terrorising people of Ogbomoso, intercepted and attack Hameed at a desolate spot, while armed with AK-47 Riffles and other dangerous weapons and later whisked their victim away into a thick forest.
Read Also: List Of Nigerian Celebrities Contesting in 2023 Elections
He said that the suspects later contacted the victim’s relative and demanded for N1 million ransom before he could be released.
The Police spokesperson said that when the command team got wind of the incident, it deployed all available resources in rescuing the victim unhurt with his abductors arrested.
“Sequel to this directive, operatives attached to the Monitoring Unit swung into action and in the process of combing the thick forest alongside local hunters and members of the Vigilance group, they stumbled upon where the victim was held captive and rescued him unhurt.
“The victim during debriefing, narrated his ordeal in the hands of his abductors and explained that while the kidnappers were negotiating his ransom, they claimed responsibility for the death of an Ogbomosho hotelier, Mr Gbenga Owolabi, threatening that he (the abductee) would suffer a similar fate should his ransom payment process get thwarted by involving the police.
Read Also: Taliban Ban University Education For Girls
“The victim also gave other useful information to the Police operatives and this led to the arrest of three members of the kidnapping syndicate,” Osifeso said
In another development, the state police Commissioner, CP. Adebowale Williams in his address maintained that the existing ban on the purchase and sales of fireworks remains valid in Oyo State and defaulters would be heavily sanctioned when caught.
