In Oyo: Police arrest suspected kidnappers of Lebanese, others

The police swung into action when alerted and chased the kidnappers who later abandoned the vehicle conveying the kidnapped Lebanese and escaped into the bush.

Four suspected kidnappers of an Ibadan-based Lebanese were on Thursday paraded by the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police.

Others  paraded included  a 50-year-old suspected ritualist, who was allegedly  nabbed with a human skull, as well as a  dismissed soldier  and his  accomplice  arrested for robbery.

Also arrested were  a polytechnic student  and  six others who  were arrested  for stealing nine motorcycles.

Briefing newsmen, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Odude, said a five-man kidnap gang abducted the Lebanese, Elias Bashour, after they robbed his workers of their phones, cash and other valuables  at Podo area of Ibadan.

He said the police swung into action when alerted and chased the kidnappers who later abandoned the vehicle conveying the kidnapped Lebanese and escaped into the bush.

“Four of the suspects were arrested at their hideout in  Ilese near Ijebu Ode and Ibiade near Waterside in Ogun State,’’ he said.

The commissioner, who said the suspect with a human skull was caught  in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State on Oct. 5, added that he claimed the body part  was given to him by his accomplice who was  still at large.

He also said the command had put in place strategies  to ensure safety of lives and property as the Yuletide approaches.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 42 suspects were paraded along with recovered property worth millions of naira.

The suspects included  15 nabbed for armed robbery, four for kidnapping, seven for burglary, and one for ritual-related offence.

The property include 10 vehicles, 14 motorcycles, laptops, generating sets, cell phones and electronics.