From
left:
MUKAILA
DAUDA (HERBALIST), AHMED ADEBANJO, TUNDE AKILO,(MOTORCYCLIST), SUNKANMI DACOSTA
AND LATEEF AGBOOLA.
The visit of
stern looking policemen in three vans to Odubotu compound, located in Okesopen
area of Ijebu-Igbo,Ogun state, sent fear down the spine of members of the
sleepy community. The armed men reportedly jumped out of the vehicles and
positioned themselves strategically around the building.
Some of them
reportedly stormed into one of the rooms, where they dragged out a
herbalist identified as MukailaDauda. Not done, the policemen, discovered
to be operatives from the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Ogun State
Police Command, again, dashed inside the herbalist’s apartment, taking him
along and conducted a search, in the process of which they
reportedly came out with two AK 47 rifles, a pump action rifle, a
barretta pistol, a cut-to-size locally made short gun and assorted charms.
The 46-year-old
herbalist was subsequently whisked away in one of the police vans. The fear
stricken neigbours later came out of their hiding, with expression of confusion
and which needed clarification on their faces. The explanation was provided,
following the allegation that the herbalist was a member of a kidnaps
gang that had been terrorizing Ogun and neigbouring states.
Preliminary
investigation, according to the police, revealed that the suspects may have
been responsible for several cases of kidnapping in Ijebu axis. One of
their victims, the herbalist allegedly told the police, was one Chief Alakoso,
a prominent businessman, who was kidnapped three months ago around Emu Eleni
area of the state and released after a ransom of N2 million was paid.
In this interview
with Sunday Vanguard, Dauda, a father of six, disclosed that his role in the
kidnapping saga was to keep abducted persons until ransom was paid, adding that
he usually got N300,000 at the end of each operation.
He disclosed that
some of the victims were rich clients who had come to him for spiritual
assistance, while others were abducted in connivance with their relatives.
According to him, most of the victims were not abducted with charms, which
hypnotized them. The herbalist explained that rituals were performed on the
kidnappers before embarking on any abduction trip, to enable them succeed.
Joining syndicate
Dauda explained
why he joined the syndicate. “I am a herbalist. I have been into the profession
for 25 years. I specialise in curing strokes and other ailments which are
beyond medical treatment. At a point, business was no longer moving and feeding
my two wives and six children became burdensome. It was at this point that
I met Tunde Akilo, a commercial motorcyclist, and Sunkanmi Dacosta, who
introduced me to kidnapping.
My role is to
keep victims in my house, pending when their families would pay ransom. I never
went out with them but I gave them names of prominent persons in Ijebu Igbo.
Some of these people have patronized me.
“The first person
that was brought to my house was one Chief Alakoso. He was brought in March,
blindfolded. I got N300,000 after ransom was paid four days later, for keeping
him in my place. This amount was aside my regular share from the loot because
that was the bargain. Also, two Onipomo in Ijebu Igbo were kept in my place. I
also gave their contacts to my members.
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