Villagers discover suspected kidnappers' den in Ogun State


By Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji



August 1, 2011 02:04PM


A shocking discovery of what appears to be a den of kidnappers was made at the weekend in a village in Ogun State, with a number of decomposing mutilated bodies strewn across the spot.
A visit by NEXT to the site, in company of a local vigilante group who uncovered the site, near Labiade-Akaso village in Onipepeye Community, along Abeokuta-Owode-Sagamu expressway, revealed the bodies of some suspected victims of the killers, including the mutilated body of a baby.


However, as at the time of this report, a suspected member of the gang, allegedly caught inside a Jeep car near the spot, had been arrested and was being detained at Owode Police Station, while police sources informed that the suspect would be transferred to the police headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta for further interrogation.
Narrating how the den was uncovered, a leader of the vigilante group in Obafemi Owode Local Government, Sakiru Ewuoso said they received information from villagers about the suspicious movement of the suspect.


Mr Ewuoso said in view of this, the group accosted the suspect, who informed them that his car had a fault and that he needed some water for the radiator. He said his volunteers then provided the suspect with water, which he poured in the car's radiator and drove off.


However, because of their suspicion, he said his group decided to wait a while and went into hiding after the man left. The waiting paid off as, a few hours later, the suspect returned to the scene in the company of other suspected members of the gang and was freshly confronted by the vigilante group.
Mr Ewuoso said the suspects, on sighting the vigilante group, opened fire on them but they overpowered the suspects, leading to the arrest of one of them and confiscation of the Jeep car, while the others fled.


"In our search for those fleeing, we decided to comb the bush around the area, where we noticed a footpath, which eventually led them to the den, where numbers of corpses were discovered," he said. "The police was immediately alerted and they did not waste time in following us to the den, where they themselves saw the gory stage of some decomposed bodies. We had since handed over the arrested suspect to the police at Owode Police Station, along with the Jeep Car."
The traditional ruler of Owode-Egba, whose jurisdiction covers the community affected, Kolawole Aremu Sowemimo expressed shock over the development, recalling that information about the discovery was brought to his notice by the vigilante group.


"Following the information when the vigilante group came to my palace, I immediately alerted the local government authority and the police. So the police authority in conjunction with the vigilante group swung into action leading to the apprehension of one of the suspects," Mr Sowemimo said.

Fear in the village


He, however, appealed to his subjects to remain calm, saying all hands were on deck to get to the root of the matter.
"I don't want things like this in my domain, and I am also calling on all my subjects to always report any suspicious movement and unfamiliar faces," he said.
A resident of Labiade-Akaso village, Musiliu Osho said the situation was worrisome and village children might be forced to stop schooling because of the fear they might be kidnapped by suspected ritualists.


"Our children can now no longer go to schools on their own, except we take them there and return them," he said in Yoruba. "We have to stop them from going to school for fear of these ritualists. We are appealing to the state government to come to our aid."
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, equally confirmed the discovery as well as the arrest of a suspect, adding that investigation into the matter was in full course.


"The Commissioner of Police, Nicholas Nkemdene has ordered the transfer of the suspect to Eleweran Police Headquarters, while investigations have commenced in earnest," he said. "If the suspect is found wanting, he would not be spared while collaborators would also face the wrath of the law."


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Ekt Bear,

Ogun State is still safe?
Until they kill one American and use him for Suya??