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Police arrest couple, accomplice for kidnapping, killing popular hotelier in Ogun

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Men of Ogun State Police Command have arrested one Larry Adebayo Adewumi, his wife, Okereke Olufunmilayo and one Adebowale Sanni over the abduction and killing of a popular hotelier, Otunba Abayomi Ajayi Smith, the Director of Rolak Hotel Ijebu Ode.

The command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the State capital.

According to the police, Otunba Ajayi Smith was kidnapped on the 28th of September 2020 at about 7:30 am, at Anifowose Estate Igbeba, Ijebu Ode by some gunmen.

Oyeyemi said, “On receiving the information about the kidnap, men of anti kidnapping unit were mobilized to commence investigation, but all efforts to get the victim out of captivity proved abortive, despite the fact that the victim’s family paid a ransome of 15 million Naira to the abductors”.

“Since then, police operatives have not relent in their efforts to fish out those behind the devilish act”.

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“The efforts of the SP Taiwo Opadiran led team yielded positive result in September this year, when they got wind of plan by the hoodlums to strike again, this time, the wife and son of Otunba Ajayi Smith were their target”.

“The team, having got the intelligence report, embarked on technical surveillance for the suspects, consequence upon which one of them was traced to Ikeji Arakeji in Osun State, where the 55 years old Adebowale Sanni was apprehended”.

“On interrogation, he confessed to have been on the trail of Yeye Olusola Roseline Ajayi, the wife of their earlier victim, Otunba Ajayi Smith in order to kidnap her, on the order of Larry Adebayo Adewumi the ring leader, whose wife Olufunmilayo happened to be an employee of Otunba Ajayi Smith”.

“He confessed further that it was Larry who described the location of the victim’s hotel and his other business outfits to him with instruction that if they succeeded in kidnapping the woman and her son, the two of them must be killed after collecting ransome in order not to leave any trace, just as they did to her husband two years ago”.

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“His confession led to the arrest of Larry’s wife Olufunmilayo who was a manager at the victim’s building materials shops”.

“Larry himself was arrested three days after, he initially denied having anything to do with the kidnap of Otunba Abayomi Ajayi Smith, but when he came into confrontation with Adebowale Sanni, his accomplice, he knew that the game was up”.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that Larry who is an indigene of Ilesha Osun State used to be a fraudster before he graduated into full-time kidnapping business”.

“His modus operandi was to scout for a rich victim, after which he will mobilized the gang working for him to go after such person”.

“He got full information about Otunba Ajayi Smith through his wife Olufunmilayo who was an employee of the man”.

“Further investigation revealed that Larry has two bank accounts where he used to keep money realized from his criminal activities”.

“In one of the accounts with number 0010913206 domicile in JAIZ Bank, the sum of thirty four million, nine hundred and fifty three thousand four hundred and fifty five naira (#34,953,455) was discovered there in, while he has the sum of four million five hundred and seventy six thousand eight hundred and forty six naira (#4,576,846) in another account with Access Bank”.

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“A 2014 model Toyota Highlander was also recovered from him”.

The State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, who commended his men for painstakingly following the suspects until they were arrested, directed that other members of the gang should be hunted for and brought to book”.

“He also directed that the arrested suspects be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded”.

 

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Gunmen invade Ogun church, kidnap two

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Several gunmen have reportedly invaded the Celestial Church of Christ, Oriyarin parish in Mowe.

 

The Ogun police command said the attack occurred Thursday.

 

“SUSPECTED KIDNAPPING, report at my disposal 28/3/2024 at about reveals that unidentified gunmen, invaded a Celestial Church around Oriyarin village Mowe and abducted one Oladapo Seyifunmi, Oluboboye Abiola, and escaped through the thick forest behind the Church,” said the police in a post on X.

 

The statement added that the police commissioner, Alamutu Abiodun, has ordered immediate mobilisation of security personnel to go after the hoodlums.

 

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Hoodlums attack, set police tation ablaze in Anambra

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Hoodlums have attacked and razed the Neni Divisional Police station in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

 

Emerging reports suggest that the attackers numbering about thirty stormed the area at about 2am in the morning on Thursday, wreaking havoc on several buildings.

 

The State Police Public Relations officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the hoodlums attacked the police station with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

 

He, however, stated clearly that the hoodlums did not take away any arms or kidnap any police personnel.

 

The police imagemaker further disclosed that the hoodlums were forced to flee after the police operatives subdued them in a superior fire-power adding that tactical operations are still ongoing in the area.

 

Mr Ikenga assured that more updates on the sad incident will be availed to the public in no time.

 

He did not give much details as regards the extent of damages done to the facility.

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Repentant cultists surrender arms in Ogun

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At least 48 repentant cultists in the Sagamu area of Ogun State have surrendered their arms to the Nigeria Police Force and renounced their membership in the various cult groups they belonged to.

The ceremony to profile the repentant cultists and take stock of the arms and ammunition was held at the Palace of the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adewale Ajayi, in the Sagamu Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

Recall that in January two cult groups, Neo Black Movement, popularly called Aye, and the National Association of Airlords, also known as Eiye Confraternity, Sagamu chapter, wrote letters of apologies to the Akarigbo of Remoland, asking him and other traditional rulers in Remoland to forgive them of their wrongdoings.

 

The two groups had, in a viral letter, pleaded for mercy and promised to abide by the laws of the country.

 

While the letter from the Eiye Confraternity was dated December 22, 2023, that of Aye was dated December 26, 2023.

Weapons submitted by the cultists, who have promised to turn a new leaf, include one pump action gun, four double barrels, seven single barrels, two English pistols, four locally made pistols, and 35 cartridges.

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Speaking at the event, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, said the approach of the police to engage in moral persuasion as a way of curbing the incessant cult crises that have ravaged the part of the state led the cultists to renounce their membership and surrender their arms.

 

Alamutu, while urging the repentant cultists not to go back to their old ways, stressed that the police would also work with the Ogun State government and the traditional rulers to convert them into an Anti-Cultism Vanguard that would preach the dangers of cultism to others still engaged in the act.

 

The CP said, “You will recall that last year, this community witnessed disturbing incidences where cultists were on rampage and disturbing the peace of the community that I had to partially relocate to this community.

 

“It was the persistent nature of this crisis that brought the idea of having a second look and approach to the crisis and we thought of using moral persuasion and engagement to see if we can get results and thank God this is the outcome.

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“By giving them this Olive branch, the idea is for them to turn a new leaf. I have had a closed-door meeting with Kabiyesi on how we can engage these youths. Now that we have convinced them that the right thing to do is hard work, we are going to see how we can assist them to be of use to themselves and be our vanguard so that others will have a reason to embrace peace.”

 

In his reaction, Oba Ajayi said the amnesty for the cultists was a result of several engagements and discussions during when many of the cultists regretted their nefarious acts and promised to turn a new leaf.

 

The monarch added, “Not satisfied with the killings and disturbance of these cultists in the town, the community re-strategised and moved against them. The heat was so much that some of them were even forced to leave the town, but they continued to beg, sending emissaries that they were ready to turn a new leaf.

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“We have engaged them and told them point-blank that cultism is not the way forward, that they will only ruin their lives, ruin their family names and the plans of God for their lives.

 

“We told them to submit their weapons and stay away from cultism, and we have promised to integrate them into the society. It is an ongoing exercise, and we hope that their colleagues in other parts of Remoland and Ogun State as a whole will draw a vital lesson and follow suit as well.”

 

He thanked Governor Dapo Abiodun, security agencies, and the Sagamu Security Committee for working round the clock to ensure the success of the amnesty deal for the former cultists.

 

He begged the residents of the community to show the repentant cultists love and support and not treat them as outcasts.

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