Unknown gunmen on Sunday last week stormed a mosque at Soyoye, Rounder area of Abeokuta, kidnapped a Police Inspector and two other worshippers.

The police officer, Inspector Kamarudeen Bello, who was kidnapped alongside two other worshippers in the Mosque last Sunday around 8 pm, while praying, had been released after collecting ransom.

It was reliably gathered that the cop is attached to one of the divisional police headquarters in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital.

Bello, whose wife gave birth four days before the incident, is reportedly the Imam of the mosque.

“After he was abducted alongside two others, the kidnappers called to demand N5 million ransom for the release of each of the victims. But with pleadings and negotiations, the money was reduced” a source said.

The source, who did not want to be mentioned, added that “the wife of Inspector Kamarudeen was contacted with the phone number of one of the kidnapped victims.”

It was learnt that the kidnappers did not know that Bello is a police officer, as he was not in uniform or with any identity when he was picked up in the mosque.

“Most of us were scared when they kidnapped him; we didn’t want them to know he is a policeman. If they knew, they might have killed him over fear that he would aid their arrest,” another source stated.

It was learnt that the policeman and others kidnapped with him have been released before the week ran out, after the payment of ransom.

“I don’t know how much each of them paid, but I think the police officer parted with about N700, 000 before he was released,” he stated.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the abduction of the officer, but however, said he was not aware of any ransom paid.

He added that that police would not relent in dealing with kidnappers and other criminal elements terrorising the state. (Vanguard)

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