The Police have arrested a notorious kidnapper, Austine Ebimiyenwei, 27, who belonged to a syndicate terrorising Agbowa in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

According to the police, one of the gang member, Festus Abama, died during a gun battle between the police and the kidnappers, while two others escaped with bullet wounds.

The syndicate was smashed by the anti-kidnapping squad of the command on November 23, 2018, the Lagos State Police Spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, said in a statement on Sunday.

He added that this led to the arrest of Ebimiyenwei, a native of Arogbo Azapa community of Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo state, and the recovery of the corpse of one Abama.

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Oti said the kidnappers, who abducted the daughter of one Suleiman Ajumobi and the husband of one Veronica Ewuru, had demanded N35m for the release of the victims.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, however, directed operatives handling the matter to play along with the kidnappers in the interest of the victims, who were still in captivity.

He said,

“The Anti-kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, acting on the directive of the command’s Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, on Friday, November 23, 2018, around 11am, smashed a kidnappers’ syndicate at Agbowa, Ikorodu, leading to the arrest of one Austine Ebimiyenwei, 27, a native of Arogbo Azapa community of Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo State and the recovery of the corpse of one Festus Abama, who died during an exchange of fire, while two escaped with bullet wounds.

“The command had earlier on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, and Friday, November 16, 2018, received two separate reports from one Suleiman Ajumobi and one Veronica Ewuru about the kidnap of their daughter and husband, respectively. While Suleiman Ajumobi reported that his seven-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Patrick Ewuru, a police officer attached to the Force Headquarters Annex, Obalende, was kidnapped from their house in the night when the victim came out to check on the power generating set that suddenly stopped working.

“The kidnappers demanded ransom of N25m from Suleiman and N10m from the family of DSP Patrick Ewuru, but later settled for N500,000 for both families. At this point, the CP directed the operatives handling the matter to play along with the kidnappers in the interest of the victims, who were still in captivity. As soon as the release of the two victims was secured, the kidnappers’ hideout at Agbowa was busted and the aforementioned kidnapper was killed in the ensuing gun battle, while Austine Ebimiyenwei surrendered.”

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Oti said the victims had identified Ebimiyenwei and the deceased as those who kidnapped them, adding that Ebimiyenwei, who also reportedly confessed to the crime, would be charged to court.