The Nigeria Police Force is closing in on the perpetrators of the Ekiti school pupils’ kidnapping and the killings of traditional rulers in Ekiti and Kwara, and every of them will soon be arrested and brought to book, it was learnt.
The Daily Crucible reports that on Monday, January 30, gunmen attacked and killed two Ekiti monarchs – the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin. The Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba was lucky – he narrowly escaped death from the gunmen.
The Ekiti traditional rulers were returning from a security meeting in Kogi State when they ran into an ambush mounted by the gun – wielding kidnappers who had seized a stretch of the highway between Ipao and Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
And few metres away, kidnappers also attacked a school bus and took away five pupils of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, three teachers, and the bus driver.
About two days after, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police arrested 13 suspects in connection to the killing of the two traditional rulers.
However, given updates about the Force’s latest efforts towards eradication of criminal acts in the country, Adejobi disclosed that the police were on the trail of the killers of the Ekiti monarchs as the kidnappers of the school pupils and teachers in the state.
Adejobi in a statement, added that the operatives of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS), which was recently launched by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, have also arrested one of the principal actors of Naheeba’s gruesome murder, Idris Ishaku (aka Yellow) and have equally clamped down on crimes in and outside the FCT.
Adejobi said:”Police operatives had on January 27 arrested one Bello Umar, who was also part of the same kidnapping syndicate responsible for collecting ransom for each kidnapping operation carried out.
“Operatives of the Nigeria Police had engaged this notorious syndicate the previous day and had neutralised five of them, including their gang leader, Mai Gemu (aka Godara), leading to the eventual rescue of kidnapped hostages and their reunion with their family members
“Again, Police operatives on February 5, neutralised one Isa Dei-Dei, a gang leader of another notorious kidnapping syndicate, terrorizing the Dei-Dei axis of the FCT.
“In a similar event, in the early hours of February 8, operatives of the FID-IRT engaged and neutralised a group of notorious kidnappers and gun runners along Keffi Gidan Wire Road in Nasarawa State.
“At noon on February 15, combined teams of the FCT Anti-kidnapping Unit and local security operatives, working on credible intelligence, advanced to a bandit camp at Nasarawa State and engaged the bandits in an intense gun duel, which led to the bandits retreating and the rescue of 2 kidnapped victims, after three weeks of hostage
“Further investigation also led to the arrest of one Saidu Abdulkadir (m), 38, who had been on the wanted list of the FCT Police Command as an informant to the bandits.
“On the 15th of February 2024, at about 8:30pm a report was made at Pankshin Division, Plateau State, that a group of unknown gunmen had invaded the residence of one Ann John (f) at GRA Pankshin, and abducted three persons to an unknown destination.
“Upon receipt of this information, Police operatives swung into action, alongside local security operatives, and trailed the hoodlums into the bushes along Pankshin Dam, where they engaged them in a gun battle.
“Perceiving the superior firepower of the Police operatives, the hoodlums quickly abandoned the kidnapped victims and fled. The victims were rescued and have been given medical attention. Efforts are being augmented to arrest the fleeing hoodlums.
“On the same 15th of February 2024, Nigeria Police operatives of the Nasarawa State Command arrested one Daniel Akpadiaha (m) 42, for the attempted abduction of one Martha Dogara (f), 31, whom the suspect had met on her way returning home on the 13th of February 2024.
“The suspect had offered her a ride in his vehicle which she obliged, and on getting to an isolated area, he brought out a knife and stabbed her multiple times. He then tried to force her into the boot of his vehicle but she managed to raise an alarm to alert people. This made the suspect to abandon the victim and fled.
“Upon arrest of the suspect and a resulting search of his residence, the victim’s clothes and bag were recovered as well as a locally made pistol.
“Operatives of the Lagos State Command Tactical Team, on the 15th of February at about 10:00am, also raided several criminal hideouts at the Ijanikin, Alasia and Era axis of Lagos and arrested 22 suspects, including one Emeka Collins (m), 36, who had been on the wanted list of the Lagos State Command.
“Day by day, the men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force continually strive and intensify efforts to tackle every form of crime and criminality, and ensure the transformation of our dear country into a haven for our good citizens.
“Let it be known that there is no place to hide nor flourish here. We will keep coming for you and eradicating you from our society until we attain the peace and tranquillity we desire.
“In the case of the Ekiti school pupils’ kidnapping and the killings of traditional rulers in Ekiti and Kwara, we assure Nigerians that we are closing in on the suspects and all of them involved will be apprehended in no distant time.”
