Police arrest Ogun suspected kidnappers

The Ogun State Police Command has recovered the bodies of two individuals, Adekunle Ifelaja (71) and Ogunyemi Femi, who were allegedly kidnapped and murdered by suspects in the Ijebu-Igbo area.

The development comes after the apprehension of two suspected members of a seven-person criminal syndicate, identified as Chukwuma Bartholomew and Igwe Monday, who are alleged to have orchestrated the kidnappings and murders of the two victims.

Omolola Odutola, the state command’s spokesperson, told our correspondent on Saturday that the arrest occurred just five days after the anti-kidnapping team had a shootout with suspected kidnappers, killing two and rescuing several victims, including Indian nationals.

Odutola revealed that the suspects, after confessing to the crime, escorted the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, and the anti-kidnapping squad to a forest in Ijebu-Igbo, where they uncovered the victims’ bodies.

She said, “They are responsible for kidnappings and abductions that have been recorded in the Ijebu-Igbo area. They kidnapped their victims, demanded ransom from their family members, and then killed them.

“They then took them to a forest in Ijebu-Igbo, where they dug a shallow grave and buried them. They were arrested by our anti-kidnapping squad after a thorough investigation, which led the team to the hideouts of the criminals on June 28, 2024, in Ijebu-Igbo.

“After their confession, the suspects took the CP and members of the anti-kidnapping units to the forest where they buried the victims to exhume the corpses.”