•The suspects
Suspected kidnappers of Mrs. A. Odumosu, one of the wives of retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu, have revealed they were contracted by a man to do the job.
The suspects, identified as Agbojule Smart, 27, and Keleke Michael, 30, in a confessional video seen by our correspondent, said they came from Arogbo in Ondo State to execute the mission, reports The Nation.
Mrs. Odumosu was kidnapped by four masked gunmen around 9:55pm on January 16 at her residence and whisked away through the creeks.
They were alleged to have forced her out of her Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) as she was about driving into the residence located at Aminu Street, Orange Estate in Arepo, Ogun State.
Days after she was kidnapped, the police said they rescued her from a creek in Ikorodu, killed one of the suspect and, recovered N10 million ransom, four Ak-47 rifles, three locally made single barrel rifles and ammunition of various calibers.
The following day, the police confirmed the arrest of two more suspects with additional N2,250,000, two locally fabricated rifles and 11 live cartridges.
In the confessional video, the suspects said they stormed the woman’s residence with three locally made gun including a double barrel.
They claimed that they held the woman hostage for one week and two days behind her house, adding that because of the palm trees there, it was not possible for the police rescue team to locate them.
Asked the name of the man who gave them the job, the suspects claimed they did not know him, adding that it was their other team members that knew him.
“I got there from Arogbo. One man gave us the job. I don’t know him but the two people that were with me know him.
“We are four people plus the person I don’t know, that’s five.
“We went there with three local guns. I am telling you the truth. I can’t lie sir. But one is double (barrel), the remaining two are single (barrels).
“We kidnapped the woman from Arepo side and carried her to the back of her house because there are many palm trees in the bush. We kept her for like one week and two days
“We demanded N40 million, they paid N20m. I collected N4.250 million, my brothers also collected the same,” said one of the suspects.
Asked where his share of the ransom was, he claimed that they dropped the money inside the vehicle they were in when the police blocked it.
“As they blocked the vehicle we were in, we dropped the money inside and left. I got down from the vehicle and I don’t know what happened after I left.
“I dropped it inside the seat in front of me. I don’t know the man that asked us to kidnap her. If I knew him, I would have said it. But those two people wearing blue know the man,” he added.
The second suspect also corroborated that they held Mrs. Odumosu hostage at the back of her house, claiming they were there when the police conducted a search of the place.
“We were at the back of the house around the palm trees. If someone hides there, you cannot see the person,” he said.
The suspects also admitted that they fed the woman while she was in their custody.
Asked where the other suspects were, they said they did not know.
