By Esther Onyegbula

Lagos State Police Command has arrested four members of a kidnapping gang in Lagos. The suspects, identified as Edet Ekuno, 32; Sunday Samiga, 24; Hope Okon, 27;

and Unuagbon Isaiah, 31, were apprehended after the command received intelligence report on their activities.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, the Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, said on March 7, at about 2am, information got to him that some kidnappers were lodging in D2 Hotel located at Ojodu Berger, Lagos, and that they were perfecting plans to kidnap a businessman in Magodo Estate. On receipt of the information, Aderanti immediately ordered the OC SARS, SP Abba Kyari, to arrest them.

All the suspects confessed to several kidnappings in Akwa Ibom and Lagos states. Vanguard gathered that efforts were on to arrest the remaining members of the gang. Confessing to the crime, Okon said: “I am a kidnapper, and I have kidnapped several people in Akwa Ibom State. In his account, Samiga said: “I owned the guns. I used to snatch bags from people, using commercial motorcycle. Later, I joined this gang.”

In his defence, Ekuno said he did not participate in any of the kidnap operations, adding that his role was to give the gang information on the victim.” ‘’I was part of the six-member gang that kidnapped Mama Ikwaor in 2010. We collected N5 million from the family. I was given N800,000 from the deal. Edward is our gang leader.

“Later I came to Lagos and joined another gang of kidnappers in Ajah. We went to Ajah to kidnap a victim, but the operation failed because the man shouted and we narrowly escaped being caught. We were arrested in a hotel in Ojodu while planning how to kidnap a businessman.’’