Arrested kidnappers defrauded by their leader raise eyebrow

The kidnappers of the Onikun of lkun, Mukaila Bello, in Ondo State have expressed surprise that N4 million ransom was paid as against N2 million that was presented to them by their leader who is now at large.

The five kidnappers, who were visibly angry, told the police that their leader told them it was N2 million, and gave each of them N200,000, thereby taking N3 million.

The suspects, paraded at the State Police Command in Akure, include Ilyasu Lawal, 27; Mohammadu Abubakar Sidi, 26; Garuba Bature, 36; Abubakar Dangy, 20, and Mohammed Mosere, 25.

Recall that the traditional ruler, the Onikun of lkun, Mukaila Bello and others were kidnapped at about 6:30p.m., around Ago-Yeye, along Owo/Ikare Road on August 4, this year after the driver conveying them was shot in the head.

The other victims were were a former House of Assembly candidate for Akoko North-East Constituency Yèyé Gbafinro; a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adeniran Adeyemo, and a community leader, Bashiru Adekile.

The abductors had demanded for N200 million from the families of the victims, but they negotiated it down to N4 million.

Then the community raised the money, which a relative of one of the victims took to the kidnappers before the victims were released.

However, police nabbed the kidnappers and paraded them on Thursday.

It was during the parade that the suspects learned that ransom was N4 million and not the N2 million their leader declared.

They said their leader gave them N200,000 each for the operation.

But Abdul Muritala, who took the ransom to the kidnappers, said it was the entire community that contributed the money and it was N4 million.

The visibly angry suspects expressed shocked to hear that the victims paid N4 million ransom.

(Vanguard)