By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Kwara State Police Command has announced the arrest of one Kazeem Mohamned Beiwa, leader of a kidnap gang operating in Pategi Local Government Area of the state.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bagega, who disclosed this in Ilorin, the state capital, said the kidnap gang leader, at the time of his arrest, killed a victim who he had earlier duped of the sum of N160,000.
A statement by the Command’s Publuc Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, indicated that the suspect collected N160,000 from one Olokose Oluwasola Ojo, now late, on the guise of helping him to buy a cow.
This cow, he said, was to be used for the deceased’s wedding scheduled to hold between 12th and 13th of March 2021.
However, since the victim left Ilorin with Mohammed Kazeem, he could no longer be reached by anybody, including his intending wife; Ilori Oluwakemi.
Okasanmi said in the Police statement that on 3rd March 2021, the wife received a phone call from her husband’s line, demanding for N12 million ransom if she hoped to see her husband again.
The statement added, “When the incident was reported, the Commissioner of Police directed an all encompassing investigation into the matter, ordering the arrest of the kidnappers and rescue the victim unhurt at all costs.
“Investigation however led to the arrest of the leader of the gang by name, Mohammed Kazeem Beiwa, in Patigi via the use of hi-tec intelligence.
“Investigations further led to the arrest of three other members of the syndicate: Mohammed Chatta, Jimoh Abdulateef and Madi Jeremiah. They confessed to the crime, confirming the killing of the victim and burying him in a shallow grave in the bush.
“They took policemen to the scene of the killing where the head of the victim and arm had been severed and used for money rituals by Mohammed Kazeem, the leader of the gang.
“The suspects stated in their confessional statements that the victim was lured into the remote part of Patigi, where he was told the cow he paid for was tied, on getting to the spot, he was shot and killed.”
Okasanmi disclosed that the body of the deceased victim, which was exummed by the police, had been taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
He reiterated the Police Commissioner’s advice to members of the public to be on guard at all times, and “know who they do business with and also be conscious of their environment, because the society is filled with evil people.”
He concluded that the suspects will all be charged to court as soon as court resumes sitting.
