‘We Collected N5m Ransom To Release Lagos Fire Director’

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Two suspects, allegedly involved in the recent kidnap of Lagos State Fire Service Director, Mr Rasaki Musibau and six others, had confessed collecting N5 million ransom before releasing them.

The Lagos State Fire Service boss and six others were abducted on April 6, while returning from anofficial function by a seven- man gang at the Ketu-Ereyun, Ikorodu-Epe road. The abducted victims were, however, freed three days after they were kidnapped.

The two suspects – Blessing Boyo and Smart Alfred – were paraded on Thursday at the Lagos State Police Command by the Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu.

The suspects claimed the gang was paid the ransom in cash before the victims were released. According to Boyo, 29, their gang leader, simply identified as MK, that arranged the kidnap and received the ransom on behalf of the gang was yet to share the money before the arrest. “ I am from Arogbo in Ondo State.

 I work and live in Ondo State as a timber operator. It was MK, who is my senior friend that came to call me for a job. He brought me to Lagos. He is also an operator, but he did not tell me it was kidnapping. He took me to the bush where there were other guys waiting.

 “It was when I got to the bush that he revealed the nature of the job I was going to do. He brought out four guns and when it was time to strike, MK and one other member of the gang blocked the road with a timber.

 “While the victims were trying to pull the timber off the road, we came out from the bush and started shooting.

 We ordered them to come out of their vehicles and follow us and they obeyed. “ We took them to the bush and were giving them garri and egusi soup until their release was secured. It was MK that went to collect the ransom, but he was yet to give us our share of the money before the police stormed the bush and arrested us.

 The other five members of the gang fled,” he said. For Alfred, 32, he yielded to the offer because he was jobless.

The suspect, who is also an indigent of Ondo State, said MK lured him into kidnapping.

 “He told me he had a job for me and he took me to the bush. I thought he was going to kill me, but he laughed and told me he was going to introduce me to a job that would pay me well. “ This is my first time,” he said. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Zubairu Muazu, said efforts were on to arrest the other fleeing suspects.