Oyo Police Arrest Kidnap Kingpin

Oyo State Police Command, yesterday, paraded a suspected kidnap kingpin, who wrote notification letters to a new generation bank and private university in Oyo town, informing them of plans to rob and kidnap students of the institution for ransom.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, confirmed the arrest, while addressing newsmen at the Command’s Headquarters Eleyele, Ibadan.

He stressed that the suspected kingpin, Olarinde Adekunle, 37, a member of a notorious kidnap syndicate, was arrested based on intelligent investigation by men and officers of the Command.

According to the CP, the suspect had sent a ‘hand-written’ note to the management of a private university in Oyo town, wherein they threatened to abduct three students should the management fail to pay-up N10 million ransom within a stipulated period.

Adekunle was paraded alongside seven other armed robbery suspects that have been terrorising Point of Sale (POS) operators in Oyo town and traders plying Igbedu Oyo/Iseyin/Iwo area.

Adebowale also noted that the kidnap kingpin also wrote a notification letter to authorities of a new generation bank in Owode area of Oyo town with an intention to rob them on Monday, August 15, 2022 before his arrest.

Briefing newsmen on behalf of the CP, the Command’s spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, said: “ Oyo State Police Command under the leadership of CP Adebowale Williams is resolute in making the state uninhabitable for criminally minded persons and other unscrupulous elements with the adoption of crime tackling approach premised on communal partnerships and technology.

“The Command’s monitoring unit has intercepted a kidnap mastermind, whose mode of operation is to run detailed background checks on unsuspected victims and then inform them through writing of his intention to abduct them, unless a stipulated amount of money could be sourced and paid to him.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that on Thursday, August 11 at about 0800hrs, members of a notorious kidnap syndicate sent an ‘hand-written’ note to the management of a private University Institution, in Oyo town wherein they threatened to abduct three of its students should the management fail to pay-up N10 million within a stipulated period.

“The threat, as expected, disrupted academic activities within the university, stirring up panic among the university community. Basking under the euphoria of what they presumed was a successful scheme, and blinded by greed, they decided to extend a similar (hand-written) notification to a branch office of a new generation bank within Owode Area, Oyo with the intention of invading it later in the week.

“Consequent upon the above, discreet investigation was carried out and it led to the arrest of one Azeez Mufutau ‘m’, whose phone numbers were inscribed on the ‘hand-written notes’ sent to both the school management and the bank.

“Upon questioning, the suspect confirmed that the phone number on the Note was his but denied being the author of the document.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspect are: one techno mobile phone, a well laid out Oyo State map that identified the targeted areas, and a notification letter written to the University authority.”

Speaking with newsmen, the suspect, Adekunle confirmed to have written the letter, but said he didn’t mean to abduct the students, but to threaten one Azeez, who according to him, was owing him N20,000.

The vice chancellor of the university commended Oyo State Police Command for their swiftness over the matter.