The suspected gang leader of the kidnappers of Isheri landlords, Natai Okunna alias “Osama”, has been arrested in a hotel in Sapele, Delta State with his girlfriend.
Detectives had told Metro that five suspects connected with the kidnap were arrested in Lagos, Ondo and Delta states.
Natai was said to have confessed that he collected N1.6 million as his own share of ransom paid, out of which he bought a second-hand Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) for N1.4 million, before his arrest while enjoying himself with his girlfriend with the remaining N200,000.
It will be recalled that some residents of an estate in Isheri area of Lagos state were kidnapped on September 27 but were subsequently released by their abductors.
One of the suspects, James Kegbe alias JJ, who claimed he got N1.2 million as his own share, was also arrested in Ore, Ondo State.
He reportedly confessed that he bought two engines for cutting wood at the cost of N900,000, used N180,000 to pay his children’s school fees and the rest for domestic care.
Others who were junior members of the gang got N200,000 and N250,000 each.
The Force spokesman, DCP Don Awunnah, said that the feat was achieved following the efforts of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from the office of the Inspector General of Police which launched an onslaught on the kidnappers.
He said that the hoodlums were eventually arrested as a result of due diligence and intelligence-led policing exhibited by members of the Force and the zeal shown by public spirited citizens to rid our society of crime.
He gave the names of the suspects as Natei Okunna ‘M’ (gang leader), James Kegbe a.k.a JJ, ThankGod Segede and Trust Bourdilon.
According to Awunnah, the suspects were arrested at different locations where they had gone to spend their share of the ransom, and, in the course of investigation, volunteered confessional statements admitting their involvement in the kidnap incident.
The force spokesman said that the Inspector General of Police has restated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to fighting crime, especially reducing the prevalent scourge of kidnapping to a tolerable level.
