The Nigeria Police Force has arrested seven suspected members of a kidnapping gang over the murder of a woman in Kuje, Abuja.
The victim, Miss Oluwadamilola Adedayo, was allegedly killed despite her family paying N16.2 million in ransom to secure her release, because she resisted attempt to rape her.
The Commander of the Police Special Tactical Squad (STS), ACP Godfrey Victor, disclosed this on Friday while parading the seven suspects in Abuja, adding that Police recovered her decomposing body from a forest in Tukuba community, Kuje Area Council, on October 19.
He said intelligence gathering and joint operations with vigilante groups and other security agencies led to the arrests in Kaduna State and the Federal Capital Territory.
The case followed a gunpoint abduction at Plot B184, Adedayo Adeosun Street, Kuchiyako community, Kuje Area Council. The attackers reportedly stormed the residence in a commando-style operation and abducted Adedayo and three other members of her family.
Those abducted alongside her included her mother, Mrs Nancy, her 12-year-old brother, King David, and their housemaid, Jennifer David.
The Police Commander further disclosed that the kidnappers released the mother about an hour after the abduction to coordinate ransom negotiations.
“The housemaid and the 12-year-old boy were severely assaulted and abandoned unconscious in a forest, but later regained consciousness and found their way home,” Victor said.
The family later paid N16.2 million for Adedayo’s release, but the kidnappers allegedly demanded an additional N50 million.
Victor said investigators also linked the gang to the abduction of a businessman, Mr John Ali, in Kuje on September 24.
The suspects allegedly collected N3 million and recharge cards worth N100,000 from Ali before releasing him.
According to the Commander, the STS launched an intelligence-led operation after receiving a petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police on October 15, and the operation led to the arrest of two suspects in Rijana community, Kaduna State.
Police operatives subsequently arrested five others in Sabo Lugbe, Abuja, with support from vigilante groups and other security agencies.
Victor said the operation also uncovered the gang’s camp in Tukuba forest, where officers recovered Adedayo’s remains on October 19.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects murdered the woman after she resisted an attempt to rape her, he added.
The police evacuated her remains to a hospital mortuary for preservation and possible autopsy as investigations continued.
Items recovered from the suspects included a mobile phone allegedly used for ransom negotiations, four AK-47 rifles, a locally made revolver pistol and 63 rounds of live ammunition.
