Gang that kidnaps school children nabbed in Lagos

Juliana Francis
Detectives at the Lagos State Police Command have arrested three men who specialised in kidnapping school children on their way to school.
The gang, which confessed that it had kidnapped up to three children, said that they were arrested after one of the kidnapped children, was able to locate where he had been kept a prisoners for days and brought his parents and policemen to the house.
Members of the gang have been identified as Olalekan Faniran Benjamin, 30, Gbenga Sholaja, 31 and Samson Shomorin, 29.
The Deputy Police spokesman, Ozoani Damasus explained that on July, 9, 2013, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Igando Police Station, received information about a gang of suspected kidnappers living at No. 12, Olowojeunjeje Street, Egan in Igando area of Lagos state.
He added: “Based on this information, DPO Igando swiftly mobilised his operatives who stormed the above address and arrested one Benjamin Faniran Olalekan and transferred the case to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigation.
“During the interrogation at SARS office, the suspect confessed and mentioned some of his gang members as Gbenga Sholaja and Samson Shomorin who are based in Alagbado Lagos and Owode Ijako, Ogun State, respectively. SARS operatives, led by SP Abba Kyarri swung into action and arrested the two suspects on September, 29, 2013 from various places of hideout. They all confessed to have kidnapped three children. One from Omole phase 1, one from Kola Alagbado area and the last one in Owode Ijako, in Ogun State. Various amount of ransom were collected from the parents, ranging from N160, 000, N100, 000 and N20, 000 respectively.
“During interrogation, it was revealed that Olalekan Fanisan Benjamin is a jailbird who was imprisoned for similar case of kidnapping last year.”