A kidnap syndicate made up of members of the same family have been busted by the Ogun state police command.
Oweniwe Okpara from Delta State and three of his children, Samson Okpara, Bright Okpara and Eze Okpara were arrested after Ogun state commissioner of police, Edward Ajogun gave an order to the Area Commander and all the DPOs in Sagamu to fish out those behind the many kidnapping cases recorded in the area.
Ogun State Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the suspects were all arrested in Ajaka area of Sagamu for their roles in the kidnap of eight persons at different times. One Christian Ishaha who had accommodated them was also arrested.
Oyeyemi said;
“In the course of investigation, it was discovered that three other members of the family constituting the criminal gang namely; Godwin Okpara, Godspower Okpara and Mathew Okpara are the armed squad of the syndicate, while Samson, Bright and Eze Okpara were the ones spying on their targeted victims.
“One Emmanuel Joseph, a native of Ebele in Edo State was later recruited into the fold, having confronted their sister, Eze Okpara to tell him the source of money they count every day. They subsequently opened up to him that they were into kidnapping business, and he also joined them.
“Some victims of the suspected kidnappers are Okechukwu Onwubiko, who was kidnapped on June 4, 2019; Omotayo Sobowale, kidnapped on June 16, 2020 and Lamidi Akeem, abducted by the same gang on July 20, 2020.
“On the 3rd of November 2020, the gang kidnapped one Mrs. Areoye Olufunke, and barely a week after, on the 11th of November 2020, they abducted one Mrs. Adijat Adeleye and Ashaye Olayinka Tobi was also kidnapped on the 12th of November by this dreaded gang.
“Having heard about the arrest of their father and their three siblings, Godwin, Godspower and Mathew Okpara ran to Delta State with their operational car and their arms, where they were subsequently apprehended by the Delta State police command after carrying out another kidnapping there.
“Their camp locating in a forest near Ayepe-ijebu where their father used to farm before converting it to a camp was located by policemen led by the DPO of Sagamu and subsequently destroyed.”
