EXCLUSIVE: Police Rescue Kidnapped American International School Student from Forest

Lagos pro

...Arrest three suspects including driver

By Ezeobi Chiemelie
Policemen attached to Area A of the Lagos State Police Command have rescued the kidnapped student of American International School, 16-year-old Olufolabi Adeniji, who was abducted on his way to school two weeks ago. It was gathered that the victim who was kidnapped on Tuesday, April 16, was rescued by policemen attached to Ikoyi Police Division, from  a deep forest located in Ilaro, Ogun state.

Adeniji had been reported missing on that fateful day by members of staff of his parents, who raised an alarm that he was yet to report to school hours after he left home with the driver.  Their fears were heightened when during the  Initial search they found the jeep parked at the Palms, Lekki, with no sign of the victim or the driver, rather, only his school kits were in the car.

But it has since been discovered that the alleged mastermind of the kidnap was the driver, one Adebayo John, who alongside his brother and two others executed the kidnap and demanded for ransom.

The police at Ikoyi were alerted and they began a manhunt for the suspects who it was gathered had demanded for a N60million ransom from the victim's parents.

Acting on a tip off, the police were said to have swung their searchlight at Ilaro and spent four days scouting the area for sign of the kidnappers. Their vigilance paid off on Thursday as they finally arrested on of the suspects who confessed as to the whereabouts of the other gang members.

Based on his confessions, the police, as gathered were said to have used the ransom as a bait to lure out the remaining members of the kidnapping gang from their hideout in the dreaded forest.

The bait paid off as two members of the kidnap syndicate as agreed with the victim's family had come to the bush path on Friday to pick up the agreed ransom and release the victim in return. But they got a rude shock when the police operatives surrounded them.

Police sources said the kidnappers had engaged policemen in a duel during the rescue operation, stabbing a corporal twice in the head. One of the kidnappers was however shot dead in the fracas as he tried to evade arrest.

A senior police source who spoke on terms of anonymity said, "We had laid siege, waiting for them to come pick the ransom and they did come. But on sighting the police, one of the kidnappers used a knife on one of the operatives, stabbing him twice on the head.

"The other gang members also pounced and were halted by shots by the policemen. One was shot dead and upon interrogation we discovered it was the driver's sibling. Meanwhile, the others attempted to escape but were rounded up."

With the kidnappers in police custody, the police were then able to storm the forest, rescue the psychologically-traumatised teenager and return him to his family.

Attempts to speak with the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, proved abortive and a text message sent to her phone was not replied, but THISDAY gathered that the suspects have since been moved to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, for further investigations.