Court remands 12 kidnap suspects in Lagos

Twelve suspected kidnappers including a woman, arrested by the police in connection with a kidnappers’ den at Ile-Zik Bus Stop in Ikeja, were on Friday remanded at Ikoyi Prisons on the orders of a Lagos magistrate.

Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias said the accused are to remain behind bars pending a legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

The “Ile Zik 12 men” were brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, attempted kidnap and possession of arms and ammunition.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the bus stop is named after a four-storey building built by the first President of Nigeria, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Barely a week before, another kidnappers’ hole was discovered at Ijaiye area on the Oshodi-Sango-Abeokuta Highway.

The accused are Hakeem Ogundele, 32; Noah Samuel, 25; Ayomide Olatunji, 44; Felix Matthew, 34; American Obodoyibo, 42; Shola Elemo, 32; and Adijat Mudashiru, 32.

Others are Tunde Akanji, 41; Adeoye Adekeye, 38; Patrick Onwubufor, 65, Samuel Iyede, 50; and Bright Amankwa, 36.

Earlier, Kehinde Omisakin, the police prosecutor, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 10 between 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. at Ile-Zik Bus Stop near Ajayi Farm in Ikeja on the Oshodi-Sango-Abeokuta Expressway.

According to her, the 12 accused had conspired to kidnap some students of a nearby Girls Junior High School, but they luckily escaped.

“Some school uniforms and notebooks of the students were found in possession of the accused.”

Mr. Omisakin said one live ammunition, nine empty shells of expended ammunition, one kitchen knife and road maps were recovered from them.

The accused pleaded innocent of the offences which contravened Sections 22, 330 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

NAN also reports that kidnapping and other related offences carry life imprisonment or capital punishment.

The case has been adjourned until August 22.