In its efforts to make Oyo State unhabitable for criminals and criminally minded persons, the CP Adebowale Williams-led Oyo State Police Command, has apprehended a suspected kidnap mastermind, who runs background checks on citizens and demands they pay huge sums or risk being kidnapped.

A statement released by the Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Adewale Osifeso, on Monday, August 15, stated that the kidnap mastermind was intercepted while working with a syndicate, whose mode of operation is to run detailed background checks on unsuspected victims and then inform them through writing of his intentions to abduct them unless a stipulated amount of money could be sourced and paid to him.

According to Osifeso, on Thursday August 11 at about 8am, members of the gang sent an hand-written note to the management of a Private University Institution in Oyo town, wherein they threatened to abduct three of its students should the management fail to pay-up (#10,000,000) Ten Million Naira within a stipulated period.

”The threat as expected, disrupted academic activities within the university, stirring up panic and uncertainty among the university community.

“Basking under the euphoria of what they presumed was a successful scheme, and blinded with greed, they decided to extend a similar (hand-written) notification to a branch office of a New Generation Bank within Owode Area, Oyo with the intentions of invading it later in the week.

“Consequent upon the above, discreet forensic based investigations were carried out and this led to the arrest of one Azeez Mufutau ‘M’ whose phone numbers were inscribed on the hand-written notes sent to both the school management and bank”, the statement read.

Meanwhile, Osifeso mentioned that upon questioning, the suspect confirmed that the phone number on both letters was his but denied being the author of the document.

The spokesperson added that the investigation further led to the arrest of one Olarinde Adekunle ‘M’, 37, who confessed to being the author of the hand-written notes under scrutiny and added that  Azeez Mufutau ‘M’ was used as a decoy for the purpose of concealing his direct involvement.

Osifeso added that the investigation is still in progress and further developments will be communicated accordingly.

In its efforts to make Oyo State unhabitable for criminals and criminally minded persons, the CP Adebowale Williams-led Oyo State Police Command, has apprehended a suspected kidnap mastermind, who runs background checks on citizens and demands they pay huge sums or risk being kidnapped.

A statement released by the Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Adewale Osifeso, on Monday, August 15, stated that the kidnap mastermind was intercepted while working with a syndicate, whose mode of operation is to run detailed background checks on unsuspected victims and then inform them through writing of his intentions to abduct them unless a stipulated amount of money could be sourced and paid to him.

According to Osifeso, on Thursday August 11 at about 8am, members of the gang sent an hand-written note to the management of a Private University Institution in Oyo town, wherein they threatened to abduct three of its students should the management fail to pay-up (#10,000,000) Ten Million Naira within a stipulated period.

”The threat as expected, disrupted academic activities within the university, stirring up panic and uncertainty among the university community.

“Basking under the euphoria of what they presumed was a successful scheme, and blinded with greed, they decided to extend a similar (hand-written) notification to a branch office of a New Generation Bank within Owode Area, Oyo with the intentions of invading it later in the week.

“Consequent upon the above, discreet forensic based investigations were carried out and this led to the arrest of one Azeez Mufutau ‘M’ whose phone numbers were inscribed on the hand-written notes sent to both the school management and bank”, the statement read.

Meanwhile, Osifeso mentioned that upon questioning, the suspect confirmed that the phone number on both letters was his but denied being the author of the document.

The spokesperson added that the investigation further led to the arrest of one Olarinde Adekunle ‘M’, 37, who confessed to being the author of the hand-written notes under scrutiny and added that  Azeez Mufutau ‘M’ was used as a decoy for the purpose of concealing his direct involvement.

Osifeso added that the investigation is still in progress and further developments will be communicated accordingly.