A 35-year old inmate of Ekiti State Prison, Olusola Adewale, who had escaped from prison during the November 2014 bomb explosion has been re-arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command along with two others in connection with the kidnap of 75-year-old Rose Aina.
The police said the other suspects are both 48 years of age.
Ms. Aina was kidnapped at her residence at Ilogbo Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State last week by armed men after retiring to her bed.
The Ekiti State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, however, managed to rescue her from the kidnappers den at Ita Ogbolu town in the early hours of Tuesday.
Parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, Police Commissioner, Etop James, said two of the suspects were arrested at Ita Ogbolu, in Ondo State, while the woman’s driver, who allegedly provided information on the kidnap operation was picked up at Ilogbo Ekiti.
Mr. James described the suspects as members of a syndicate terrorizing and perpetrating high profile kidnapping in Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and Delta States in recent times.
He said Mr. Adewale was one of the inmates who escaped from the Ekiti State prison along Afao road during the November 30, 2014 bomb blast which resulted in the escape of over 200 inmates.
Mr. James, whose address was read by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Alberto Adeyemi, said two red golf vehicles and dangerous weapons, including cut-to-size pistols, were recovered from the suspects.
The police commissioner added that the suspects were tracked through their phone numbers to Ita Ogbolu where they were keeping the aged woman, adding that no ransom was paid to the suspects.
He said, “The vehicle seized were those that had been on our radar for long. The two vehicles were used to abduct the Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade and many others in recent times.
“We are even very happy that Mrs Rose Aina has been able to recognize one of the suspects as being involved in her kidnap, so we are banking on these two backgrounds to be able to prosecute them.”
The Police Commissioner lamented the non-cooperation of citizens of Ekiti State in providing useful information to the police in dealing with kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.
“We are quite sure that the kidnap syndicates are well known to our people. They are part of the society and they live among us. But the most difficult thing has been that people are not ready to give useful information.
“Police are no magicians, we only rely on information from the public to perform. We appeal to the people to give information and we are sure that your identities shall be protected,” he said.
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
