“While Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi reported that his seven-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, one DSP Patrick Ewuru, a police officer attached to Force Headquarters annex, Obalende, was kidnapped from their house in the night when the victim came out to check on the power generating set that suddenly stopped working," the statement read.
The Lagos State Police Command has killed one Festus Abama, an alleged kidnapper, and arrested Austine Inuesokan Ebimiyenwei, aged 27, a native of Arogbo Azapa community of Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo State, after a raid of kidnappers' hideout at Agbowa, Ikorodu.
Abama was killed during a face-off with the Police, while two of his gang members escaped with bullet wounds.
A statement on Sunday, signed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chike Oti, noted that “the Command had earlier on November 13 and 16 received two separate reports from one Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi and one Veronica Ewuru 'f ' about the kidnapping of their daughter and husband respectively".
The statement continued: “While Suleiman Eniola Ajumobi reported that his seven-year-old daughter was kidnapped from his house in his presence, Veronica Ewuru stated that her husband, one DSP Patrick Ewuru, a police officer attached to Force Headquarters annex, Obalende, was kidnapped from their house in the night when the victim came out to check on the power generating set that suddenly stopped working.
“The kidnappers demanded for ransom of twenty-five million Naira (N25,000,000) from Mr Suleiman and ten million Naira (N10,000,000 ) from the family of DSP Patrick Ewuru, but later settled for five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) for both families.
“At this point, the CP directed operatives handling the matter to play along with the kidnappers in the interest of the victims who were still in captivity.
“As soon as the release of the two victims was secured, the kidnappers' hideout at Agbowa was busted and the aforementioned kidnapper was killed in the ensuing gun battle, while Austine Inuesokan Ebimiyenwei surrendered.”
The statement disclosed that the suspect confessed to the crime and the victims have identified Abama and Ebimiyenwei as those who kidnapped them, just as "concerted effort is being made to arrest those on the run, while the suspect already in police custody will be charged to court".