Cleric heads kidnap gang, arrested after N3m ransom demand

Adeolu Adeyemo,OSOGBO

An Islamic cleric, Jimoh Adamu Omotayo, has been arrested by Zone 11 Police Command, Osun State for allegedly heading a kidnap gang.

Omotayo was arrested along with Abdulaahi Budah and Umatilla Ahamed at different criminal hideouts in state.

Omotayo, who introduced himself as an Islamic cleric, claimed that he coopted into the criminal act by a member of the gang identified as Babatunde. The said Babatunde is still at large.

Omotayo said: “I’m an Islamic cleric. I decided to back out of the crime when I realized the evil effect. If police release me, I promise never to engage in such a venture again.”

The Assistant-Inspector-General of Police (AIG), in charge Zone 11, Adeleye Oyebade alleged that the three suspects were part of those that had been terrorising indigenes of the state with their nefarious activities in the past before nemesis caught with them after the abduction Salihu Ahmed (46).

Ahmed was abducted in his farm located at Agbeye village in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.

The arrested suspects, who are currently being interrogated by detectives in the zone, have allegedly been disclosing information on activities of the gang.

Oyebade said: "The kidnap gang led by Omotayo abducted Ahmed in his farm located at Agbeye village in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State. The gang, numbering about five and armed with locally made single barrel guns, took the victim to a forest in Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State where he was held captive for seventeen days. 

"After a painstaking investigation carried out by
the Zonal Technical Intelligence Response Unit led by a Superintendent of Police (SP) Idowu Fapojuwo, the suspects were arrested at their various criminal hideouts in the state. Upon the arrest, the kingpin, Omotayo, confessed to the crime and mentioned Abdulaahi Budah, (52), Umaru Ahmed (35) and one Babatunde and others as members of the gang.” 

The police boss, however, maintained that the Command has succeeded in decimating the impregnable gang even as efforts are being intensified to nab other fleeing members of the gang. He said that the smashing of the gang will further reduce cases of abduction.

Oyebade said that the gang, until its arrest, had been terrorizing innocent citizens. According to the AIG, the gang was forced to release their victim without collecting the N3million ransom earlier demanded after they found out the police were closing in on them.

Oyebade promised to charge the suspects to court immediately investigation was concluded.