Governor Ambode suspends Lagos monarch for allegedly faking own kidnap

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday approved the immediate suspension of the Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Yusuf Ogundare, for faking his abduction.

The alleged fake kidnapping took place on July 5 along Centre for Management Development, CMD, Road in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, LCDA, of the State.

In a memo with reference number OLGAS.83/S./Vol.1 dated July 13, 2017, addressed to the Sole Administrator of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA and signed by the State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Teslim Folami, Mr. Ambode directed Mr. Ogundare to stop parading himself henceforth as the Baale of the community till further notice.

Mr. Folami, quoting the memo, said: “I am directed to convey the approval of His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the suspension of Chief Yusuf Ogundare, Baale of Shangisha with immediate effect in accordance with Section 38 subsection 1 of the Obas and Chiefs Laws of Lagos State which states that “the Governor may suspend or depose any Oba or chief whether appointed or after commencement of this law, if he is satisfied that such suspension of disposition is required according to customary law or is necessary in the interest of peace and good government.

“You are to communicate the decision to the chieftain to stop parading himself as Baale of Shangisha with immediate effect.”

Mr. Ogundare’s suspension was approved by the governor moments after the Lagos State Police Command paraded him alongside his younger brother, Mohammed Adams, for conspiring to fake the alleged kidnap.

Mr. Adams, on the fateful day, reported the alleged kidnap incident to the police.

Speaking while parading the two suspects, the State’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the Command on July 5 received the report of Mr. Ogundare’s alleged kidnap, and immediately swung into action in collaboration with other security agencies especially the Department of State Service, DSS.

Mr. Owoseni said luck however ran out on Mr. Ogundare when he was apprehended by men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS in Alausa area of the State on July 11 after he was dropped in a suspicious manner by a car which sped off immediately.

Giving details of how Mr. Ogundare was apprehended, Mr. Owoseni said: “On July 11 at about 10 p.m., a team of RRS patrol officers working around Alausa had sighted a vehicle drop a male adult in a suspicious manner close by Shoprite along the Secretariat road.

R-L: Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni (2nd right), addressing journalists on the Alleged Fake Kidnap of Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Chief Yusuf Ogundare at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Thursday, July 13, 2017. With him are Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (middle); his counterpart for Local Government & Community Affairs, Alhaji Muslim Folami (2nd left); Operative of DSS, Mr. Wale Odu (left) and representative of Director, DSS, Mr. Uche Okechukwu.

“The speed with which that car drove off attracted them to that spot and fortunately before they got to the spot, the car had taken off and a quick enquiry revealed that it was the Baale that was allegedly kidnapped.

“Immediately afterwards while Ogundare was being debriefed, he sold a dummy that the kidnappers dropped him off but unknowingly to him, it had been found out that on the 5th of July, the day he was allegedly kidnapped in Lagos, investigation had revealed that he was driving around in Ibadan around Ashi; he went to Ilorin, he went to Iwo, he was just on a frolic.

“And unknowingly to him as well, his younger brother and his wife were being questioned and were actually in custody because of some discrepancies that were noticed in the interaction they had with security agencies, and in furtherance of the synergy existing between the Police and DSS, we jointly compared notes and our findings were such that the act of the chief was despicable and amounted to crying wolf where there is none.”

He said while making reports, Mr. Adams had told security agencies that he was with the Baale at CMD Hotel when some people who claimed they wanted to buy land whisked them away and later dropped him.

But investigation, Mr. Owoseni continued, revealed that he (Mr. Adams) was not at any time in the hotel with the Baale but was only at the restaurant of the hotel, and after some minutes left. The police said the wife of the Baale actually drove the Venza car allegedly used to abduct her spouse.

The police commissioner said the suspects confessed to the crime after interrogation.