Police demobilize two kidnappers in Ogun

...... rescue three Indian nationals

By Demilade Michael

Operatives of the Ogun State Police command on Tuesday demobilized two kidnappers during a gun duel in the bush, along the Ibadan-Lagos expressway.

The command spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, said three Indian nationals, who were abducted by the kidnappers on Friday, on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, were rescued.

It would be recalled that about sixteen of the expatriates working at the Indian Breeze Company near the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, were heading back to their Pentagon Estate home at around 7 pm, on Friday, when a group of gunmen suspected to be kidnappers emerged from the bush.

She noted that the Manager of

Indian Breeze Company, Akintande Segun, reported to the police that the gunmen opened fire on their two Toyota Hiace buses, which had the number plates FST 686 YH and SMK 986 YE, as soon as they saw their buses approaching, subsequently leading to the kidnapping of the expatriates.

The statement reads, "On the 4th of May 2024, the manager of Breeze Company Nigeria limited located at Ibadan-Lagos expressway made a distress call to the DPO of Mowe Divisional headquarters that on the 3rd of May 2024, while his principals numbering about sixteen were returning to their residence, at Kajola junction, a gang of kidnappers opened gunfire into the two Toyota Haice buses with registration numbers FST 686 YH Ash colour and SMK 986 YE black colour that was conveying them. 

"In response, the PMF escort attached to the first bus with registration number FST 686 YH exchanged fire with the kidnappers and managed to escape with all the occupants in the first vehicle, while three Indian Nationals, namely, Tejaram Chauhan ‘m’, Kaduwal Pradhan ‘m’ and Medani Kathiwada ‘m’, all inside the second bus without Police escort were all kidnapped to an unknown destination.

"The anti-kidnapping section of the command in concert with Police formations in the axis, with other local security agents swung into action by combing the area, policemen engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle confronting the kidnappers in the forest along Benin-Sagamu Papalanto at about 1630hrs of 7th May 2024, and succeeded in the rescue of the victims unhurt.

"In the course of the encounter, two of the six kidnappers were demobilized, two AK 47 riffles, one single barrel locally made gun, one sword, cell phone and criminal charms and 65 round of ammunition were also recovered.

"The likely ransom loot of the two demobilized kidnappers of the sum of Seven million nine hundred thousand naira (#7,900,000) and one thousand five hundred Rupees of (Indian currency) were also recovered.

"The two demobilized suspect have been deposited at the public mortuary, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the four fleeing members of the kidnap gang.  

Thank you all for coming".