Lagos schoolgirls abduction: Police arrests pastor as suspect
- A pastor was one of those arrested in connection with the abduction of three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary in Ikorodu
- The kidnappers revealed how they abducted the school girls
- The kidnappers were apprehended by the police as part of the rescue mission
A pastor identified as Akanji Oluwaseun was one of the suspects arrested in connection with the abduction of three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu Lagos state, Today.ng reports.
Emmanuel Arigidi, 37; and James Henry, alias Segun Alabi Olatunde, were the suspects paraded before journalists on Sunday, March 6, by the Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Lagos state commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni.
According to Nigerian Watch, Arigidi confirmed that he was a member of the robbers who attacked banks in Ikorodu, having been recruited by Clement Abanara, popularly known as Millions, who was their leader.
READ ALSO: Abducted Lagos schoolgirls rescued; kidnappers arrested
The rescue of the girls was facilitated by SIRT, after it took over the case on Friday, March 4.
A police source said following detailed instruction by the IGP, Solomon Arase, the SIRT operatives, with the aid of intelligence led policing, arrested Arigidi, a native of old Ese Village Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Revealing how they kidnapped the girls on that fateful Monday around 8pm, Arigidi said he was part of a 12-man-gang that abducted the girls.
He said one Felix, aka Tradition, was the member charged with the responsibility of negotiating for ransom with the distraught families of the victims.
After the girls were abducted, they kept them in Adamma Forest, across the river in Ikorodu area.
Arigidi said: “We came through water with eight boats and 10 AK47 rifles for the kidnapping operation. We escaped with the girls in the same boats.''
Pastor Oluwaseun on his part said: “I’m just a trader at Adamo Street in Ikorodu. When policemen were calling me, I told them where they could find me. I told them to ask for Pastor when they get to my area but the next thing I knew was that they arrested me. Our church is not far from my shop.”
According to Owoseni, Oluwaseun was a conspirator to the kidnappers. Oluwaseun was the person who sent recharge cards to the kidnappers, which they used in calling and negotiating for ransom.
Arigidi when speaking to journalists said: “Three days ago, I was arrested by the police at Majidun area of Lagos, near the bridge.
“I explained everything to them on how we arranged the operations. It was Lamienmu, who brought the kidnapping work to me through Felix and his gang Godfrey, Akpoki, Ekpokeme and Orwell. After strategizing at Majidun, we went to the school through Maya Village.
“We stormed the school around 8pm and kidnapped three girls. When we got to where we were to hide the girls, my members and I quarreled.
“We quarreled because I told them I didn’t like the idea of kidnapping the girls. I changed my mind after the girls were kidnapped because security in Lagos is tight. I told them that police would arrest us, but they refused to listen."
Henry, 29, was arrested because one of the phone numbers used in tracking the suspects was registered with his picture and his name.
READ ALSO: The kidnappers did not rape or abuse Lagos schoolgirls
The three girls Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo were kidnapped by gunmen on Monday, February 29 in the school.
BMJS is a co-educational secondary institution of the Lagos Anglican Diocese. The private missionary school was founded on October 18, 1996 by the late Most Reverend Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye. It was named after Late Reverend Thomas Babington Macaulay.
Source: Legit.ng
