Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The body of an alleged member of the kidnappers that abducted mother and child in Shao, Moro Local Government of Kwara State who jumped into the river to escape arrest is yet to be found.
He was said to have had in a gun duel between the kidnappers and the security agents, the kidnapper apparently who could have been a known face among the locals particularly the hunters and the vigilante members decided to jump into the river.
The security agents on a rescue mission were said be a combined team of the police, local hunters and vigilante group members who embarked on a fierce search for the abductees when news filtered out that Madam Afusat Lawal and her son, Taofeek Lawal had been abducted and whisked away by unknown gunmen.
Naturally, according to sources, Shao community do not joke with any form of aggression talk less waylaying their own and kidnap.
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It was said that elders of Shao instantly despatched their men to go into the bush and rescue the abductees.
The men, according to eyewitnesses were made up of hunters and vigilante group after the matter had been reported to the police.
The kidnappers were said to have gotten in touch with the relations of the woman and demanded for ransom which turned out to be their albatross.
It was at the point of collecting this ransom and settle down to share their booties that the bubble bursts. They were said to have been rounded up and a gun battle between them and the security started.
Sources in Shao added that the search men and the police traced the kidnappers to a spot where they (the kidnappers) were about to share their loots and were said to have been overrun and over powered.
However, the state’s Police Command, in a statement through its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, said it was formally reported at the on “13/9/22 at about 2320hrs that a Kidnapping incident occurred in Shao, Kwara State. One Afusat Lawal ‘F’ and her son one Taofeek Lawal ‘M’ were abducted and whisked away.
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He said Kwara State Police Command wished to inform the public that the victims had been rescued after an intensive and painstaking search and rescue operation by the Command’s Tactical teams, supported by Vigilante and hunters.
“The kidnappers were accosted in the bush while trying to share the ransom collected from the family of the victims, they opened fire on the operatives immediately they were sighted by the kidnappers.
“During exchange of fire, two of the kidnappers that suffered gunshot injuries during the encounter were arrested and taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital where they were confirmed dead.
Consequently, their corpses were deposited in the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Okasanmi said exhibits recovered from the kidnappers included one Honda Accord Saloon car with Reg. Number LAGOS GJ 52 LSR, one single barrel gun and an unspecified amount of money.
He added that efforts are still being intensified to get other fleeing members of the gang arrested for prosection and that the rescued victims have been reunited with their family after being certified medically stable.