Metro

Why We Faked Our Abduction, Demand Ransom From Our Parents — Minors

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2023

Two female minors who stage-managed their abduction in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South West council area of Ondo state, have confessed to maltreatment by their mother.

The girls, aged 15 and 13 years, who are in Junior Secondary School 3 and Senior Secondary School 1, were amongst 28 suspected criminals paraded by the state security outfit codenamed Amotekun, in Akure, the state capital.

Vanguard gathered that the girls after the act, demanded N100,000 as ransom from their parents

According to the two girls, “We told our parents that we’ve been kidnapped to punish our mother who used to maltreat us and has made life miserable for the two of us.”

One of the girls, in an interview, said: “I was the one who initiated the plan because I wanted to punish my mother, who has been behaving as if she is not my mother. I never wanted to use the money for anything but just to punish her.

“18 suspects were arrested for kidnapping and 10 others for illegal possession of firearms, cult activity, and housebreaking amongst other offences..

While parading the suspects, the state Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the two minors from Oka-Akoko, kidnapped themselves and demanded N100,000 ransom from their parents and the traditional ruler of the community.

Adeleye added that: “They were later arrested in a hotel after staying there for three days.

” Their parent raised the alarm that their children were kidnapped and reported at the Amotekun office, and we swung into action but when they called for ransom we tracked the phone number they used and we were able to arrest them, but the young girls attributed their action to the ill-treatment by their mother.

“We appreciate the Department of State Service (DSS) for assisting us in apprehending them.

” When they we negotiating, they even threatened the traditional ruler that if the ransom was not paid within two hours, they are going to kill the victims without knowing that they are the criminals perpetrating the act.”

on other suspects arrested, the Commander said that a kidnap syndicate held two ladies hostage, tortured them, raped them and forcefully took their ATM and withdrew monies from their bank account.

Also, Adeleye, added that a 53-year-old woman, identified as Ajara Salamat was arrested for preparing food for kidnap victims and providing daily needs for the kidnappers in the forest and helping them to charge their phones.

“We also, have one Coker Noah, who held two ladies hostage and employed two other men to torture and rape them for weeks before one of the victims had access to the phone and called us and we were able to apprehend them.

“We have a family where the mother specializes in buying daily needs including food for kidnap suspects and victims in Owo and Ifon.

“We equally have a group that we apprehended along kidnap areas and items found on them include several ATMs to which they could not explain how they came about it but we suspect that the ATMs belong to the suspects they held hostage and a lot of other things which they could not justify how it came to them,” the statement added.

Adeleye while giving the breakdown of those arrested said that “a total of 28 suspects we are parading today shows that we have more kidnap suspects than any other criminal activities. This is in continuation of our efforts at ensuring that kidnapping in Ondo State becomes a thing of the past.

“We equally have kidnap suspects of some very high profile individuals in the society that we are still working on.

“We equally want to advise the public to be wary of the new trend of criminal activities now. Most times, the victim will board a motorcycle or taxi and you will see them blowing balloons.

“These balloons are already laced with poisonous gas that makes their victims to dose off and become unconscious.

”After this, they take the victim to wherever they want and do whatever they want with them and some of the victims will recall nothing after they recover, most times they lose their senses for two-three days.”

Adeleye added that “They won’t remember what happened not to talk of identifying the criminals. So, we want to advise the general public to be careful when they board Okada or taxi”.

Metro

Hotel Under Construction Collapses In Edo Kills Owner

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in the Idumoza community, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction caved in, killing its owner, identified as Andrew Isesere.

The incident occurred last Friday while Isesere was reportedly inside the building.

Over 20 workers who were also at the site narrowly escaped death, according to eyewitnesses.

The lifeless body of the owner was recovered from the debris on Sunday morning.

Neighbours in the area expressed concern over the quality of materials used in the construction, noting that warnings had previously been issued to the deceased.

Andrew Inegbebor, a resident who spoke to reporters, said, “The owner was told he was using low quality material. He used 12mm instead of 16mm rods for the pillars. There was no base basket at the pillars. Look at the result.”

“The building collapsed because of substandard materials that were used. There was no engineer on site. The dead owner supervised the house. The house later collapsed and killed him , but some workers escaped,” he added.

At the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that he had not received a briefing on the incident.

Metro

Police Arrest Stolen Phone Tracker-altering Gang In Imo

Published

22 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

Metro

Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

Published

22 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, John Chinagorom, who is said to have been on the Command’s wanted list.

A statement released on Saturday by the Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command.

Ikenga said his arrest followed a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division on August 1, that the suspect, who is linked to a kidnapping case in Anambra, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its officers, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command, have arrested John Chinagorom ‘M’, a suspected kidnapper, who has been on the Command’s wanted list.

“This follows a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division at noon of 1st August 2025, that the suspect, John Chinagorom, who is linked to a kidnapping Case reported on 15th April 2025, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

“Acting swiftly on the information, a team of Police detectives from the Division was dispatched, and they successfully apprehended the suspect at his hideout in Zaria, with the assistance of officers of the Kaduna State Police Command.

“The suspect is currently in custody and is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation.”

He urged the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the security situation in the state is under control as joint security patrols and other crime prevention operations are ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the general security situation across other parts of the State remains calm, as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he added.