The Osun State Police Command has apprehended John Olowosaye, who, alongside Olalekan Oyeyemi, also known as Emir, is accused of kidnapping individuals in Ede back in August 2023.
This information was disclosed by the spokesperson for the Osun State police command, Yemisi Opalola, during a press briefing at the Police Command headquarters in Osogbo on Friday.
Opalola detailed that the kidnappers brought their victims to the Balogun Area in Osogbo, where a ransom of N2.6 million was deposited into Oyeyemi’s account.
Olowosaye’s arrest followed an investigation that linked him to the crime.
“Based on a report of abduction sometime in August 2023, that two people were abducted in Ede town, the Police Anti-cultism Unit have been working round the clock to ensure the suspect(s) involved are arrested.
“The Police, not resting on their oars, on 3/7/2024 arrested the above suspects in connection with the crime. Investigation revealed that the suspect conspired with one Olalekan Dauda Oyeyemi, a.k.a Emir, and abducted the victims at Ede and brought them to somewhere at Balogun area in Osogbo, where a ransom of N2.6 million was paid to account of Olalekan Dauda Oyeyemi A.k.a Emir.
“The suspect will be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.”
Several other suspects were also paraded, arrested for various offenses across the state.
The suspects faced charges including armed robbery, theft, cult membership, conspiracy, abduction, illegal possession of firearms, and harmful substances.
Those arrested were “Abubakar Ayomide, 23, Adewumi Isaac, Ekene Sunday, and Adesunmibola Afeez, 32, Sodiq Adeyemi, 35, Gbenga Oluwaseun, 27, Philip Oluwaseun, 24, and Saka Kabiru, 27, arrested for conspiracy and armed robbery.
“Lateef Musa Olalekan was arrested for conspiracy, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.
“Ogungbemi Afeez, 19, John Fatai, 28, Ede Marvellous, 30, and Elise Peter, 25, arrested for armed robbery and membership of unlawful society.
“Felix Etim, 28, arrested for unlawful possession of firearms, cannabis and suspected membership of unlawful society.
“Olalekan Amos, 54, was arrested for theft, while Akinyeme Simileoluwa, 22, and Ajao Blessing, 25, were arrested for robbery and suspected membership of unlawful society.”
Exhibits seized during the arrests included “two cut to size single barrel guns, Lexus RX 350 jeep, two cut to size single barrel guns, one live cartridge, two Bajaj motorcycles, one cut to size gun, two live cartridges, Toyota Corolla car, four iPhones, one Samsung, two HP laptops, charms, 10 phones and one Bajaj motorcycle.”
Additional items recovered were “three live cartridges, cloth with insignia of Aiye confraternity, one cut to size single barrel gun and weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa,” Opalola added.
