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Tag: Igbonla kidnap

  • Igbonla kidnap suspect’s wife charged to court

    Wife of one of the suspected kidnappers of six pupils of the Lagos State Model College of Igbonla, Epe, was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief magistrates’ Court for aiding and abetting kidnapping.

    Doris Ibukun, wife of Julius Omoni, lives at Ile Aanu Street, Omileye in Ondo State. She pleaded not guilty to charge preferred against her before Chief Magistrate Oluyemisi Adelaja.

    Police prosecutor Chinalu Ueadione told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 25 at 8.00 p.m. at Igbonla in Epe, Lagos State.

    He said the accused, failed to inform the police and other security agents of her husbands’ alleged involvement in the crime.

    Magistrate Adelaja granted Ibukun N500,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. He adjourned the case till August 23.

  • Igbonla kidnap: It has been 65 days of trauma – Parents

    Parents of the six kidnapped students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, were hugely relieved at the weekend when they were reunited with their children, after more than two months of anxiety.

    The reunion came exactly 65 days after the students were captured from their school by armed abductors, 20 of whom were killed in a gun duel with the police on Friday, in the creeks of Ondo State.

    The freed boys are Peter Jonah, Isiaka Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.

    Mr. Moruf Ramon, whose 19-year-old son, Isiaka, was among the rescued students, commended the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police for their efforts.

    “‘I am so happy with what is happening today and I want to appreciate the Lagos State Government and the Commissioner of Police for all they have done to secure the release of our children.

    “‘I have been the one talking with the kidnappers all the time and the police were always with us to get information that could help to facilitate the rescue operations.

    “We pray that this kind of incident will not occur again in Lagos State or even Nigeria as a whole,” he said.

    Mrs Beatrice Jonah said it had been a traumatic experience for her family.

    According to her, the experience is very difficult to describe as it is better imagined than experienced.

    “When I spoke to my son after the abduction, I was weeping because I was afraid for his life.

    “To me it has been 65 days of trauma but we thank God he is back safely,” she said.

    The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who received the students on behalf of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, commended the efforts of the security agencies and the intervention of the federal government.

    “We commend the efforts of the Nigerian Police, particularly, the Lagos Command and other security agencies for their efforts in ensuring the safe return of these children.

    “We commend the Ondo State Governor and his deputy for their support and collaboration toward the rescue operation.

    “We appreciate the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his invaluable intervention in ensuring that we have these children brought back to us,” she said.

    Adebule said that debriefing and comprehensive medical checks would be carried out on the students to help them get over the experience.

    “‘Now that the children are back, the government will commence a comprehensive check up on these children – physically, mentally and psychologically. This is very necessary.

    “And in debriefing them, we will be involving other stakeholders, including their parents to ensure that it is effective.

    “‘We appreciate that 64 days was a long time to get these children back but it was in the interest of their safety,” she said.

    “As a government, we will continue to work diligently to ensure the security of lives and property in the state. It is a must for us to deliver on the issue of security.

    “As for security in our schools, we are working and putting all necessary measures in place before the resumption of schools for the next session,” she said.

    Adebule also commended the parents and families of the students for their confidence in the state government.

    Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, who accompanied the students to Lagos with his deputy, Mr Alfred Agboola, said the Igbonla kidnap was a major

    issue at the National Executive Council meeting in Abuja in June.

    Akeredolu said it was also an issue at the South-West Governors’ meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where Ambode said there was the need for an increased joint security patrol of the riverine areas.

    “We must appreciate the role of the Acting President in this matter because he was the first person that contacted us in Ondo last month. Gov. Ambode was also in touch all the time.

    “We promised them that we will make efforts, but then we did not believe that these children could be in the creeks of Ondo.

    “My Deputy, however, waded into the matter because he is from the creeks. In collaboration with the Delta Government, the Navy, Army and Marine Police, we did all that was humanly possible to secure the release of the students,” he said.

    Akeredolu pledged to ensure increased security in his state in collaboration with others that shared borders with Ondo.

    “Ondo State has zero tolerance for crime. You cannot use our creeks as safe haven for crimes anymore,” he warned.

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, commended the South-West government for their joint efforts and support in ensuring the rescue of the students.

    “This is one operation that will send fear to criminals as they will know that our governments in the South-West are committed to security and there will be no place for criminals in the region.

    “During the course of the operation, 20 of the kidnappers, including the leader of that kidnap gang, Bright Adeniyi, were killed when they ambushed the operatives of the marine police and civilian volunteers.

    “We lost a civilian volunteer, while four were wounded. Eight policemen were also injured and all these people are receiving medical treatment under the care of the state government.

    “So far, we have arrested one suspect who has been swindling the parents of the children. He was arrested in Abeokuta when he asked the parents to drop some money. I’m sure others will be arrested soon and they will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

    Owoseni promised that the police would not relent in its efforts to secure and protect the lives of citizens.

     

  • Igbonla kidnap: Militants demand extra N1.5m after getting N15m

    Igbonla kidnap: Militants demand extra N1.5m after getting N15m

    •My wife has been hospitalised six times, man alleges

    ADDITIONAL N15 million ransom has been paid to kidnappers of the six pupils of Lagos State Model College in Igbonla, Epe, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers collected the  cash last week.

    After they collected the ransom, the kidnappers, led by one America, promised to release the pupils last weekend but reneged.

    They were said to have demanded N1.5million as transport fare to return the pupils, a demand that irked negotiators, a source said.

    According to the source, security forces and school authorities were optimistic that the children would be reunited with their families last weekend only for the kidnappers to renege.

    “The kidnappers were paid over N15million last week. If you add that to the N10 million earlier paid by the parents, that’s N25 million. An agreement was reached for them to release the children but at the last minute, the kidnappers reneged.

    “Instead of releasing the boys, they demanded N1.5million claiming that the money was to transport the boys back. That was where they stopped,” the source said.

    Meanwhile, one of the affected parents has appealed to the kidnappers to release the boys and spare him the agony of losing his wife.

    The man, who said his wife has been in and out of the hospital up to six times in the last 50 days, told The Nation that she was discharged two days ago.

    According to him, the woman has been very affected because it was their only child that was kidnapped.

    He said: “I cannot count the number of times I have rushed her to the hospital. She has been very traumatised and her situation is worsened by the continuous detention of our only child.

    “I do not know what to do again. It is 50 days now that the children were kidnapped. I am just begging the kidnappers to free these children and spare my family this agony. My wife was brought back from the hospital two days ago. I am praying that nothing happens to her.”

  • Igbonla kidnap: Another pupil falls sick

    Another pupil out of the six pupils kidnapped on May 25 from the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, has fallen sick, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The said pupil has been taken out of the camp for treatment.

    Yusuf Farouk, Ramon Isiaka, Pelumi Philips, Peter Jonas, Adebanjo George and Judah Agbaosi were kidnapped from their hostels by militants clad in police uniforms.

    Parents of the kidnapped pupils yesterday blamed the Inspector-General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for the continued detention of their wards by the militants.

    The parents said the publicity given the arrest of three suspected members of the gang picked up in Edo State by Abba Kyari-led IRT made the kidnappers to relocate the boys to a creek in Niger-Delta.

    According to the parents, the police have forgotten about their children and were more interested in celebrating the capture of kingpin, Chukwudumeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans.

    The parents, who said they have resorted to prayer and fasting for the return of their wards, expressed worries that it might turn to another Chibok saga.

    Egelu Endurance, 25 alias Jubby, Stanley Yomi Irabomini, 25, (Powei) and Bentel Endurance, 24, all from Ovia South Local Government Area (LGA) were said to have left the creeks for Benin City in order to check the locations they planned to move the victims before they were caught.

    Knowing that their cover was blown, those in the creek changed plans and allegedly moved the victims in a creek in Ondo State, which was inaccessible to security forces.

    A parent, who confirmed that the kidnappers collected N10million but failed to release the pupils, said they were insisting on communications with the government.

    He said the kidnappers after collecting the N10million, contacted one of the parents demanding that the balance be remitted or the pupils would be killed.

    He said: “The police should be held responsible if anything should happen to our children. We were shocked when we read in the newspapers that three of the suspects have been arrested. How can the police, knowing that our children were still held by the kidnappers announce the arrest of some gang members?

    “What did they want to achieve with that announcement? Now, the kidnappers have relocated the children, collected our N10million and switched off their phones. Is it because we are not rich people?

    “How can they in the middle of an investigation reveal that they arrested some members of the gang. What were they hoping to achieve? Were they expecting the gang to remain in their hideout given the arrest of some of their members?

    “We are still running around, hoping they would call again so that we can tell them how far we have gone.

    It was gathered that some senior police officers were also unhappy with the way Kyari exposed news of the arrest, when the pupils were still held captive.

    The officers, it was learnt, condemned the bridge of protocols employed by Kyari, describing it as unprofessional.

    A police source, said they were not giving up on the rescue of the students and arrest of the kidnappers.

    He said IGP Ibrahim Idris has already placed a bounty on the gang leader’s head, Americana, adding that the Lagos State Command has been directed to intensify efforts towards getting the pupils unhurt.

  • Igbonla kidnap: Four pupils fall sick as kidnappers insist on N100m

    Igbonla kidnap: Four pupils fall sick as kidnappers insist on N100m

    •Inaccessible terrain stalls victims’ rescue

    Four of the six kidnapped pupils of Lagos State Model College in Igbonla, Epe have fallen ill, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The kidnappers were said to have informed the pupil’s parents of the indisposed children.

    They are insisting on N100m ransom before releasing the children.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers have been talking with the parents since they resumed communication last Friday.

    They were said to have told the parents to hasten payment of the ransom.

    Lamenting that they have been in a fix since May 25, a parent said no government official had talked to them.

    He said: “We are in trouble. These kidnappers have been calling since and they have told us that four of the children were ill. They said we should hurry up and get the money. That government should pay the money.

    “The government has made it clear it won’t negotiate with kidnappers nor pay ransom. We have told them this already. We have also told them we are fishermen and retirees. Where do they expect us to raise N100million?

    “How do we get that amount of money? We have been meeting daily on the way forward but no matter what we try to put together and tell them, they insist on N100million.”

    Also yesterday, a police source said the pupils have been relocated to an inaccessible part of the creeks. Their relocation, the source said, has hindered plans to free them.

    According to the source, the students would have been rescued over the weekend and the kidnappers apprehended but for the fact that gunboats cannot penetrate the area.

    He said swam buggies and flat boats were needed to penetrate where the pupils were moved to.

    The source said: “After we arrested three of them last week, the kidnappers moved the students farther into the creeks, where our boats from the Marine Police cannot penetrate.

    “For that terrain, which has thick bushes and foliages, we need swarm buggies and flat boats. As it is now, we are frustrated at every turn. Although we know the general area where the kidnappers are, we can’t storm in.

    “Also, we have the safety of the students to think about. They have been relocated and we know the area, we don’t have the platform to penetrate that place because we are handicapped in that regard.”

  • Parents of six abducted Lagos students meet to raise ransom

    Parents of six abducted Lagos students meet to raise ransom

    Parents of the six pupils kidnapped from the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla in Epe, have decided to raise funds to meet the demands of the abductors, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The distraught parents met yesterday to brainstorm on how to raise the ransom for the release of their children.

    The abductors want N100m, down from the N400m they first demanded.

    They told the parents to seek Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s assistance in raising the funds.

    The state government has already ruled out any negotiation with the kidnappers.

    Yusuf Farouk, Ramon Isiaka, Pelumi Philips, Peter Jonas, Adebanjo George and Judah Agbaosi were whisked away from their hostels- Yellow and Green houses- on May 25, by gunmen clad in police uniform.

    Sources said the parents met in Epe yesterday and resolved to tax themselves following government’s refusal to negotiate with the criminals.

    The parents, who said they have become weary of government’s pledge to rescue the victims using security option, noted that their wards have been in captivity for nine days.

    The Nation gathered that a committee was formed at yesterday’s meeting for the purpose of raising a substantial amount from relations, friends and good spirited Nigerians.

    A parent who expressed disappointment at government’s handling of the issue, said he wondered how the government wanted them to feel, knowing that their children have been in the custody of armed criminals for so long.

    The parent said: “It’s nine days already and our children are still in captivity despite the government’s assurance to rescue them.

    “Our minds will not be at rest without seeing these children. The kidnappers have demanded N100m and they insist we should meet with the school authorities and the government to pay. But government said it would not pay any ransom.

    “All the parents have met again and we have decided to raise whatever amount we can through individual contributions. We have asked ourselves to call on friends and relatives to assist.”