Why were you arrested?
It was SARS that arrested me because I kidnapped three children.
Why did you kidnap them?
It’s because of money.
How long have you being doing this?
I started December last year.
How many times have you kidnapped kids?
Two times. It was the second one that got me arrested.
Tell us about the first one; who gave such an idea?
It was my brother-in-law’s wife. Her name is Ajoke Oseni, while her husband is Akeem Kareem. My husband’s name is Megida Akanni Kareem.
What does your husband do for a living?
He’s a marketer and also a film producer.
Is he not making enough money?
He’s not! He said that other producers like him used to do ‘patch patch’ to make ends meet.
What is patch patch?
It means doing other business to augment his real job. He said that he needed to patch up his life.
So you guys now agreed to kidnap kids?
No! It was Ajoke that brought the idea. One day, Ajoke opened OLX site. She saw a woman asking for a housemaid. She gave me the woman’s number.
Which case are you talking about?
Michael and Rafael’s case! I called the woman and she invited me. She interviewed me and said we should go out. She took me to her house. On Sunday, when everyone had gone out, I strapped the youngest child to my back and held the other by the hand. I left the estate. We went to Awoyaya area. When I got home, my husband welcomed me warmly. I asked him how much he would collect from their parents.
So after Ajoke told you about the business, you told your husband and you all agreed to the kidnapping?
In fact, the three of them had already discussed and agreed before they called me. I was the last to know about the business. I asked why I should be the person that would be going to people’s house to act as maid and kidnap kids. They shouted at me, saying I should not bring the downfall of their progress. That people used to do it and make a lot of money from it. I said okay. When I brought the two kids and asked him how much he would collect, he said it would be small money. He didn’t tell me how much. I later saw on Facebook that he collected N2 million. We now took the kids to Shagamu, where their parents picked them.
How many days did Rafael and Michael stay with you people? Who was calling their parents, asking for money?
It’s my husband who used to call to demand for money.
Did you read in the papers and watch television on how traumatised their parents were?
I read and saw everything. I used to call and tell my husband that the mother of these kids was worried and asking for them.
What do you mean, calling your husband? Are you not together?
No! They put me in another hotel with Michael and Rafael, while they were in another hotel. They said the separation was because a Commissioner of Police’s office is nearby.
Are you saying you didn’t keep the kids in your house?
Initially, we took them home, but the following day, my husband said we should move them. We moved to a hotel in Shagamu. They said the police was parading and moved me and the kids to another hotel. Later, they moved us again. About three or four days later, my husband called, he said I should leave the hotel, that their mother was coming. I left there and went back to Shasha at Akowonjo, Egbeda. At home in the night, I watched news and heard that the kids had beenreunited with their parents.
We heard you drugged the kids?
Yes, I gave them drug to make them sleep. I left them in the hotel. It was my husband that called their parents to come and pick their kids.
How much did you collect from their parents?
My husband said it was N2m.
How did you people collect the money?
My husband collected it through ATM. He called that the kids’ mother had paid, that I should leave the hotel.
How much did your husband give you?
N30,000!
What about Akeem and Ajoke?
I don’t know!
How do you feel as a mother, watching another crying over her kidnapped children on television, newspaper and Facebook?
My mind was not at rest!
You’re a liar! If your mind was troubled, why did you kidnap the Orekoyas’ three kids?
It was not like that! They came to call me again. My husband said I must go again, that I shouldn’t be the person hindering his progress. That was what you said in the case of Rafael and Michael. Yes! That was the line he took again with me. He said he would kill me. He said I wanted to destroy his progress.
Did you legally marry him?
No, he didn’t marry me. I have kids for him. I know his family members, but he only knows one of my sisters.
How did you kidnap the Orekoyas’ three kids?
It was Ajoke Oseni, who called again, saying that a woman was looking for a nanny to employ. She gave me the woman’s phone number. I called the woman; she said we should meet at PWD, Ikeja. She interviewed me and said I should come the following day to resume. She said that towards the ending of election, we would go and know my family.
The second day, I strapped the youngest child to my back, held the other two and told their brother we were going down stairs to buy some things. I left. On the road, I called my husband that I was on my way. He said I should be coming. When we got home, I asked him how much he would collect, he said small amount. I later heard in the news that he was demanding N15m.
I rushed to meet him; I said it was too much. He said I should keep out of it, that I had done my part, and that it was up to him to handle the money aspect of it. I then watched Mrs. Orekoya on TVC, crying. My heart became troubled. I went to meet them, begging them to return the kids to their mother. But my husband refused; he said the kids’ dad was stubborn, that he didn’t want to pay the ransom. I told him that their mother was crying too much, that he should come and watch her; he angrily pushed me out of the room.
Why didn’t you go to the police?
He threatened that he would kill me!
Didn’t you use to leave the apartment?
My brother-in-law’s wife stays at home with me. They watch me.
Where you kidnapped and tied in the apartment?
Not really, but I’m the person who used to watch the kidnapped kids. I wasn’t given chance to move on my own.
Were you arrested on the day you went to collect the Orekoyas N15m ransom?
I didn’t even know it was N15m! I was arrested yesterday (Wednesday). I was arrested at Coker, Shasha. There was a baba that was repairing my fan; he said I should come to pick it. When I got there, he said I should wait.
Who lives at Ajah?
We don’t live at Ajah! I was at the baba’s place when I saw SARS men. I called him that SARS men were around.
How do you know SARS men were around? Do you use charms?
I saw them outside. I knew they were police because they wore black clothes and were in a van.
Was SARS written on their clothes?
Not really, but I heard people saying SARS men were around. I didn’t know they were SARS until I saw them stepping down from the van. I called my husband. He said I should prepare and leave the place.
Where were the kids all this time? You locked them and maltreated them?
Ha! No! I used to strap them on my back like my own kids! When SARS came, I was holding one, while my mother held others.
Didn’t your mother-in-law asked how you came about three kids?
She did. I told her that she should ask her two sons.
Why did you kidnap Miss. Henrietta Odili?
I didn’t kidnap her! When she came to our home, I wasn’t even around. She was employed by Ajoke who took her phone away. You can call and ask her. It was when I came back that Ajoke told me that a lady came, that she needed a job. She came from Edo State to Lagos for the job.
Is Ajoke and her husband living with you people?
Yes, we all live there. It’s a three bedroom flat. Henrietta works for Ajoke, not me.
What does Ajoke’s husband do for a living?
He’s a film producer, just like my husband. Ajoke is a marketer like me. We both sell CD.
Didn’t it ever cross your mind that the police will catch you?
It did several times, but my husband threatened to kill me. I was scared. I didn’t want to die. I feared for my life.
Do you believe that a man whom you had four kids for will kill you?
Yes! The threat was too much. You can ask Henrietta.
As a mother how do you feel, watching another woman go through agony for her kidnapped kids?
I feel bad. I pray God should forgive me. I attend Winners’ Chapel Church. If someone kidnapped any of my kids, I would go crazy just like Mrs. Orekoya. When she said she was dying because of her kidnapped kids, I felt terrible. When I watched it on TVC, I started weeping. It’s not my fault! Everything is the fault of my husband. (Begins to cry).
How will police get your husband?
When I was arrested, he was outside. He saw the police bundling me into the vehicle. When I glanced back, I didn’t see him. I don’t know how much my husband collected from the Orekoyas. My husband handled the money aspect of things.
NEW TELEGRAPH
No comments:
Post a Comment