Abducted schoolgirls: Nigerians laud police

When three girls of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos State, were kidnapped, their parents, Lagosians and Nigerians were plunged into unfathomable fear.

The fear hinged on the likelihood that the girls may be raped or killed if their parents failed to meet up with the whooping N100 million ransom the kidnappers demanded.
The victims, Timilehin Olusa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo, all SS2 students, were abducted by gunmen from their classroom around 9:30pm last week Monday during prep. Nigerians as usual, took to the social media, rallying support for the abducted girls. On March 6, 2016, the girls were released.
Their release elicited gasp of jubilations in the school, Lagos and the country. Perhaps the most relieved was the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni. He had been under a lot of heat and pressure while the girls were in captivity.
The man behind the rescue of the schoolgirls is a Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Abba Kyari. This police officer has become widely known and acclaimed as one of the best in the Nigeria Police Force.
It’s worthy to note that he cracked the kidnapping of the girls less than three days after he and his team took over the case. He has become known as the saving grace of the Nigeria Police, especially Lagos State Police Command in trying emergency situations.
Kyari has solved many high profile kidnap cases, including the case of the evil maid who kidnapped three kids of the Orekoyans. In 2015, bank robbers repeatedly unleashed terror in Lagos State.
The robbers attacked banks at Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac and Agbara. These bank robberies ushered out the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti. But even after Aderanti left the stage, the robbers continued to dance.
The robbers appeared to be strolling into Lagos for tea parties. Kyari stopped the tea parties. He and his men trailed the bank robbers to creeks in Delta, Arepo in Ogun State and Ikorodu, Lagos.
Today, many Nigerians are asking the obvious question: “What the heck will the police do without the intelligence and tenacity of Kyari and his hand trained crack team?”
When higher duty dragged Kyari out of Lagos State, many who knew his importance to the security balance in the state, groaned. But even as the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, saddled him with more technical and seemingly hard to crack cases in Abuja, Kyari continued to excel.
Like an octopus, he has spread his long arms to other states. He was instrumental in the rescue of Olu Falae. He also got Falae’s kidnappers. From Abuja, down to Kogi State, he busted gangs that were engaged in bomb making.
He has a flair for catching the most hard to catch armed robbers. One of his popular achievements was the arrest of kidnappers that abducted the mother of the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala in Delta State.
Kyari is like a goldfish. He has no hiding place; wherever he trends, his achievements sparkle and trail him. Immediately after the girls’ release, many people took to the social media.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, was one of those that kept the social media buzzing.
Apparently speaking from the depth of her hearth, Badmus said on her Facebook wall: “For the first time in the last five nights, I was able to sleep joyfully after the rescue operation of the Ikorodu girls; professionally done by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police CP Fatai Owoseni and his crack team.
I couldn’t sleep, not only because I’m a mother, but also duty bound to ensure safe return of those innocent girls. “I thank Almighty God that crowned our efforts. Appreciation also goes to Nigerians home and abroad for believing in their own police.
The parents of the girls, the school authorities, my dear own press people “members of the fourth estate of the realm,” you all actually mounted pressure to know how ‘it was going’ but my response of “very soon which later became very soon” has actually made it a partnership that works.
The Lagos State Police Command will not relent in fighting crimes and criminalities as this are our mandate which will be delivered diligently.” Responding to Badmus post, Francis Osibowale said: “We are proud of Owoseni and the entire Police in Lagos State.
I also wish to commend the effort of the present DPO of Somolu Division, SP Bala Garba for the wonderful job he is doing at Somolu. I want to sincerely appreciate you and CP for sending such a wonderful, tireless and duty bound DPO to us at this time.
Crime in Somolu has reduced to 98%.” Grey Oshike suggested that CCTV, with enough serviceable cameras should be a prerequisite to establishment of schools, shopping malls, plazas, markets, recreational facilities, hotels, school hostels and their likes to aid investigation. This was even as he prayed that Nigerians shouldn’t witness such abduction of school girls again.
Hajimaja Mohammed said that the best policing strategy was to develop a mutual relationship and trust between police and the public. He added: “If you believe Nigeria police are doing a great work, then we need to help them too. Criminals don’t live inside police department, they live among us.
It’s very important to expose those criminals instead of expecting police alone to be looking for them. This is the way it’s being done in other countries. No matter the crime combating technology, the police force needs information about hoodlums that are living among us.”
Olabode Salaam noted: “It’s good to see that globally acceptable police response and result positive exercise can come out of the Nigerian Police of today. Pray the good officers will soon dwarf the bad eggs in uniform.”
Bamidele Heyimofe said: “Over time, I do tell people that Nigeria Police Force is one of the best institution we have in Africa. Although difficulties and challenges arise; but then out of the 12 disciples, there was Judas.
There’s nowhere you won’t find one bad egg among thousands of eggs, even in churches. Nigeria police officers, when I say officers, I meant those who still stand on the oath they took, those that will never do the unspeakable in the name of money, those that believe in nemesis and posterity, are still on the field working endlessly to make sure we have a safer Nigeria.”
Tony Orji has this to say: “At last, the police have given us one reason to commend them. Well done! It is also a clear indication that when the Nigeria Police decide to do a thorough job, they have the capability.”
Ajijedun Alaba said: “If we don’t believe in your capacity what else do we rely on? We know our police are the best in the world given the right environment to perform. Well done.”