Two members of a six-man kidnapping gang, who abducted a 25-year-old woman, Mariam Fagbohun, and killed her 50-year-old mother, Annah Fagbohun, in Ijoun, Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, have been arrested.

The abductors were said to have shot at the mother while she was taking her daughter away and she died on the spot.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, stated this in a statement on Wednesday.

Oyeyemi said Mariam, who runs a provision store and a pub, was abducted by the six-man gang on August 20, 2020, when she closed and was going home.

The PPRO said the victim, while being taken away, raised the alarm, which attracted the people around, including her mother.

He stated, “While the people around were trying to chase the abductors with the aim of rescuing her, the kidnappers shot into their midst and the bullet hit the victim’s mother, Annah Fagbohun, and she died on the spot.

“A distress call was made to the police, consequent upon which the DPO, Egua Division, CSP Kalejaiye Olarenwaju, led his men to the scene and with the collaboration of members of the community, they were able to rescue the victim and apprehend a member of the gang, Jimoh Fayemi, a native of Omu-Odo in Ekiti State.

“Upon his arrest, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, directed that the suspect be transferred to the anti-kidnapping section with a clear mandate that the other members of the gang must be hunted and brought to justice.

“The team embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation, which led to the arrest of another member of the gang in Ekiti State, James Arowolo, who is a 47-year-old native of Obo-Ayegunle in Kwara State.”

The PPRO added that the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation, claiming to have been contracted by a man, simply known as Ade, and his friend, known as Doctor, who live in the same neighbourhood with the victim.

According Oyeyemi, the suspects claimed that they were contracted to swindle the victim out of a huge sum of money.

“But having realised that the woman would not fall into their trap, they decided to kidnap her and demand ransom,” the PPRO added.

He said items recovered from them were three single-barrelled guns, 12 live cartridges and face masks.

Oyeyemi said the CP had ordered a massive manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang.

He added that Ajogun also ordered that the suspects in custody be arraigned. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy The Punch)

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