Ogun Police Rescue Three Kidnapped Indian Nationals, Recover N7.9m Ransom
TWO members of a six-man kidnapping syndicate were recently dispatched to the Great Beyond following a fierce gun duel with police detectives in Ogun State.
The gang had waylaid, kidnapped and whisked three Indian nationals away into a forest along the Benin-Sagamu Papalanto axis of the state.
The all-male victims, identified as Tejaram Chauhan, Kaduwal Pradhan and Medani Kathiwada, who have been rescued unscathed, fell victim to the kidnappers while retiring to their residence at Kajola junction at the close of work on 3 May 2024 in company with 13 others.
Disclosing the development in a press statement, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Omolola Odutola, said that the 16 top management staff of Breeze Company Nigeria Limited, located on Lagos-Ibadan-Expressway, were transiting in two Toyota Hiace buses when the incident occurred.
According to the Command’s spokesperson, on getting to Kajola junction in the Mowe axis, the kidnappers opened gunfire on the two buses, one ash colour, marked FST 686 YH, and the other, black colour, with registration number SMK 986 YE.
“In response, the PMF escort attached to the first bus, with Reg. No. FST 686 YH, exchanged fire with the kidnappers and managed to escape with all the occupants…, while three Indian Nationals, namely, Tejaram Chauhan ‘m’, Kaduwal Pradhan ‘m’ and Medani Kathiwada ‘m’, all inside the second bus, without a police escort, were all kidnapped to an unknown destination”, Odutola said.
Consequently, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alamutu, gave a marching order to the Anti-Kidnap Section of the Command, in collaboration with police formations in the axis, to ensure the rescue of the victims.
The detectives were joined in the rescue mission by local security operatives by vigorously combing forests in the area, during which they stumbled on the hoodlums in a forest along the Benin-Sagamu Papalanto axis, and another round of gun duel ensued at about 4:30 pm on Tuesday, 7 May 2024.
Two of the six kidnappers were killed, and the victims rescued unhurt.
Recovered from the scene were two AK-47 rifles, one single-barrel locally-made gun, a sword, a cell phone and criminal charms.
Also recovered were 65 rounds of ammunition, the sum of Seven Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N7.900.000) and One Thousand Five Hundred Rupees of (Indian currency), suspected to be ransom loot of the two deceased kidnappers.
“The two demobilized suspects have been deposited at the public mortuary, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the four fleeing members of the kidnap gang“, the statement concluded.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
