A pastor gave us the connection to Otedola- NSCDC Official

An official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Adeyemi Kayode, a dismissed soldier, Mr. Ayodele Temitayo and a rusticated student of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Mr. Ikechukwu Daniel, have been arrested by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris’s  operatives of the Special Intelligence and Response Team (IRT) for planning to kidnap billionaire oil mogul Femi Otedola and demand a N1bllion ransom.

The suspects were also fingered in the kidnapping of a former Minister of state for Education, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo.

Kayode, 29, a serving official of  NSCDC, serving as a Personal Assistant to the Commandant, NSCDC Oyo State Command, allegedly took undue advantage of his office to obtain the mobile number and location of their would be victim.

Before this present arrest, IRT operatives had earlier arrested some members of the gang.

Kayode, who denied ever going on any kidnapping with the other members of the gang,  explained that one of Temitayo’s brothers known as Alex lured him into the kidnapping.  Kayode said that he enlisted into NSCDC in 2009.

He said:  “ In February, my landlord in Eleyeni, arrested and detained his brother. When I went there to intervene, I met one of Temitayo’s elder brothers known as Alex. We became friends. He told me what he was into and urged me to use my contacts to get them jobs. After that conversation,  I contacted one Dr. Isaac, who is a pastor in Ibadan. He normally comes to my office to apply for security aids.   I told him that I needed to speak with Otedola about one of my brothers who wanted to invest in the oil sector. The pastor gave me a number to a General Manager of  Zenon Oil. I gave it to Alex, who then started working on it.”

He noted that Alex visited Zenon Oil’s office in Lagos State, but was told that Otedola was not in the country. When Otedola returned, the gang started monitoring him his movements and security aids.

Ikechukwu suggested that the gang should disguise as security operatives, but they however realised they needed to buy a Hilux van. They also needed money to execute the kidnap of Otedola.

Kayode said: “I gave the gang information about a man at Moniya, who we call Baba Olokuta.   I took them to the man and a few days later, they kidnapped him and demanded ransom. He paid before he was released. I was given N200,000 as my share.”

Mr. Ayodele Temitayo, however, said that Kayode brought the Otedola kidnap plan. The plan was to disguise as law enforcement officers, who came to arrest Otedola.

He said: “ We monitored Otedola’s movements while he was in Ibadan. We saw the number of security personnel around him. In June, Ikechukwu was arrested. There was a first attempt to kidnap Otedola in Ibadan, but I wasn’t around at that time.”   

The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, said the arrest of the suspect was achieved through coordinated intelligence gathering and investigations that spanned several weeks.

Awunah said: “ The principal suspect, Ikechukwu Daniel, 28, is the mastermind of the gang. He was rusticated from the university on cult related activities. Daniel also doubles as the IT guru of the gang, with mastery of Computer applications. He made damning revelations of their criminal exploits in the South West of the Country.”

The image maker further said: “The third suspect, Ayodele Temitayo, who is the marksman and armourer of the gang, was dismissed from 213 Battalion Maiduguri of Nigeria Army as a Private in 2015. All the suspects made confessional statements, revealing that they had successfully carried out several high profile kidnappings. Two AK47 rifles, loaded with live ammunition, were recovered from them. Efforts are currently being intensified to apprehend other members of the gang.”