At an age when most of his mates are just getting admissions into higher institutions, 16-year-old Abel Bekewei has become one of the suspects in police detention fighting to extricate himself from kidnapping charges.
Bekewei, an alleged cook for a kidnap syndicate, was arrested by policemen in Ogun State, along with other suspects. He is the youngest among the men. Bekewei said that his arrest and stay in police custody would be short-lived.
The suspect said he plans to go and study in the university, adding that his 'temporary' incarceration would not make his dream to become a stillborn.
He said: "I've finished secondary school, but this year, I'm planning to go to university. By the grace of God police would release me.”
The teenager, who hails from Ese Odo in Ondo State, was among four suspected kidnappers recently arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Ogun State. Others in police net for the same crime are Kabiru Badiru, Godspower Abewa and Samson Oniwei.
Fielding questions from our correspondent, Bekewei said until his arrest, he worked as a cook for a gang of kidnappers. He stated that his duty in the gang was also to cook for abducted victims still in captivity.
According to Bekewei, in one of the kidnapping operations that the gang carried out, he was given N100,000 out of the N2million ransom paid to the kidnappers by the victim. The suspect denied that he was among those that killed policemen during some kidnap operations in the state.
Bekewei, who confessed that he knew those he worked with, explained that after he was offered job as a cook, he started last year. He, however, insisted that he was not a kidnapper.
His words: "I'm here (in custody) because I was working with kidnappers. I was in charge of cooking food for them, going to market for them. I'm not a kidnapper; the real kidnappers have run away. I know that the kidnappers had carried out three operations. They gave me N100,000 out of the N2million ransom they got. The boss I used to cook for is the one that informed me that they got N2million ransom. It’s because I’m just a cook that the kidnappers gave me small amount.”
Asked if he regretted his action, Bekewei maintained that he would soon regain his freedom. He added: "By the grace of God police would release me; because I’m not the one that kidnapped. I was just assisting them to cook. My boss didn’t tell me everything about their operation.”
One of Bekewei’s suspected accomplices, Badiru, claimed that he was conscripted into the gang. Badiru said the kidnappers threatened to kill him if he refused to cooperate and become their informant.
According to him, he was on the farm when about 50 armed men invaded Imakun-Omi through the waterways and made enquiries about moneybags in the town. Badiru said it was the information he gave to the kidnappers that led to the abduction of the traditional ruler's son and a business woman.
He recounted: "I started kidnapping four months ago. The people came to me and enquired about those that are rich in the town. They threatened to kill me if I failed to give them information. I told them and then, they kidnapped two out of the three targets I mentioned.
"They kidnapped Prince Bola, son of a traditional ruler, and Alhaja Risi Ode. After the first operation, they gave me N100,000 out of the ransom. They, however, didn’t give me anything after the second operation. They just disappeared. I didn't know any of the kidnappers from Adam. They came through the waterways in a speed boat and stormed our farm. My colleague escaped from the scene. The kidnappers captured me at the camp where I was working. They were about 50 and armed.”
The suspect, however, lamented the failure of the security agents to apprehend the kidnappers. Corroborating Badiru, Godspower, a boat driver, revealed that he was given only N30,000 for the first operation carried out by the kidnappers.
Badiru said: "They gave me N30,000 for the first operation. But all the money they had given me so far is about N100,000. But all the criminals have escaped to their villages.”
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, said the suspects had confessed to series of kidnapping at Imakun-Omi area of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area. He disclosed that the kidnap suspects and scores of others were nabbed during the last Christmas and New Year festival for offences ranging from armed robbery, murder and possession of firearms.
Iliyasu, however, reiterated the resolve of the Command towards fighting crime to a standstill.
Iliyasu noted: "We are not going to rest on our oars and the battle will be taken to the doorsteps of the criminals and men of the underworld, until the state is rid of all sorts of crime and criminality.”
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