A suspected kidnapper, Niyi Omosola, has been
shot dead by the police in the Epe area of Lagos.
It was learnt that
Omosola was shot dead during a rescue operation by the police to free a victim,
identified simply as Kudirat.
It was gathered that Omosola, while
collecting the ransom, sighted the police and decided to escape on a motorcycle
when the operatives fired him.
Omosola, who hailed from
Ondo State, allegedly led a gang which kidnapped the woman in the Elemoro, Ajah
area.
Sixty-two-year-old Kudirat was reportedly
abducted by the gang on Thursday, April 16, at about 7pm.
Kudirat, a
businesswoman, was inspecting the construction work at a petrol station she
owned in the area when the kidnappers swooped on her and took her away.
It was gathered that the gang later contacted
the family and demanded a ransom of N50m. However, after negotiation, our
correspondent learnt that the the gang and the family agreed to a ransom of
N3m.
On Wednesday Kudirat’s brother, who had been communicating with the gang,
took the ransom to an agreed hideout in the Epe area.
However, a team of operatives led by the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad Commander, Abba Kyari, was said to have trailed
Kudirat’s brother to the hideout.
A police source said Omosola, while
collecting the ransom, initially opened fire when he sighted the police.
He added that when the kingpin saw that he
was outnumbered, he tried to escape on a motorcycle, leaving the policemen with
no choice than to fire him.
He said, “The kidnappers are a notorious
gang. They had conducted several operations in the area. In the latest
incident, they demanded N50m initially, but when the family could not produce
the amount, they finally agreed to N3m. They also arranged where the place of
meeting would be in the Epe area.
“The police trailed the brother, who was
taking the money to Epe, where Omosola was waiting. Immediately he collected
the ransom, he suspected that policemen were around and he began to shoot
sporadically.
“He got on a motorcycle and was riding off
when he was gunned down. He did not die immediately.” Omosola, who was injured, led the SARS operatives to a bush between Epe and
Ijebu Ode, where the woman was held.
When the police arrived at the hideout, his
gang members had reportedly fled the place.
It was gathered that Kudirat was rescued
alive by the police, while Omosola eventually died from the gunshot injuries.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP
Kenneth Nwosu, said efforts were on to apprehend the remaining gang members.
He said, “When the information was received,
the operatives trailed the gang to the location.
“The kidnap kingpin actually fired at SARS
operatives, who were carrying out the rescue operation, and they fired back. In
the process, he was fatally wounded.
“The woman has been rescued, while the corpse
has been deposited at a public morgue.
“Efforts are being intensified to arrest
other fleeing members of the gang.”
Culled from Punch
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