Ekiti Pupils Kidnap: How We Arrested Eight Suspects Plotting New Abduction — Police

Over the weekend, the Ekiti State Police Command paraded eight suspected kidnappers, including two vigilante officers. The suspects were allegedly involved in various kidnapping cases, including the abduction of pupils from the Apostolic Faith Groups of School in Emure Local Government.

Addressing Journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the state Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, said the breakthrough was made possible through the dogged effort of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) officers in the state.

Akinwale said the vigilante officers, Saliu Ibrahim, Umaru Saliu, and six other suspects were arrested after RRS received tip-off that a gang of armed men invaded a farmland at Eda-Oniyo-Ekiti and were planning to kidnap some expatriates in Dairy Farmland, Ikun-Ekiti.

This led to the arrest of one Abubakar Aliyu, popularly known as Smallie, and who was on a mission to spy on the actual location of the expatriates.

After his arrest, the leader of the kidnapping gang, identified as Sumo Karami, sent the two officers to secure the bail of the arrested gang member from Police custody.

They were, however, arrested and 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.

A statement by Police PRO, DSP Sunday Abutu, added, “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 his gang members who have been terrorizing 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.’’

“Meanwhile, the phone used to demand for ransom for the release of the Pupils and the Teachers was recovered from the suspects and effort intensified led to the arrest of two (2) among the gang members, namely: 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 be a member of a kidnapping syndicate who 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, 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.”