Pa Iposiola Samaye who was kidnapped last Thursday at Isire village in Ijebu East LGA has been rescued by a Joint Special Rescue Operation attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad, Ogbere division and Ijebu Ode Area Command, Igbeba on Tuesday at Aye forest reserve along Ijebu Ode/Benin expressway.
Earlier, the abductors of the 97-year-old man had contacted his family demanding a ransom of N20,000,000, which the family said they could not afford but agreed to pay N1,000,000.
The ritualist den
It was learnt that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Valentino Ntomchukwu met with the family members of the victim and assured them of rescuing the victim, provided they are ready to assist the police in the course.
A family source revealed that they cooperated with the police at all levels, hence, the successful rescue operation of Samaye.
During the operation, a suspect identified as Emeka Obi was arrested while other members of the gang escaped.
The police disclosed that efforts are in top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects.
Ntomchukwu has since commended the family of the victim for their belief in the police and for the support accorded police operatives during the operation that lasted for days.
He however encouraged people to always believe in the police and cooperate with them at any point in time when police are carrying out operations.
In another development, police operatives attached to Ishara division of Ogun State Command on Monday bursted a den of suspected kidnappers, ritualists and cannibals at Orile Eleposo, Ode-Remo area in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The police, while acting on a tip off on the suspicious activities of the criminals, swooped on them and burst the den.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police said arrest of these suspected ritualists was in connection with the case of a missing student of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapade in Ogun State, Miss Morenikeji Owolabi.
Owolabi, 20, has been missing since June 6 but the matter was said to be reported to the police on 12 June by her parents, who reside in Egbe New Site, Ijebu Ode of Ogun State.
The victim was said to have been lured to the shrine by a herbalist, Femi Marcaulay a.k.a Awise, who is currently on the run.
As stated by Ademolu the 'okada' rider, while he was conveying the victim to the shrine, she spoke with the said Awise twice on her mobile telephone, giving her direction.
The shrine made with worn-out corrugated iron sheets in a cubicle form, contained a lot of scary and weird fetish objects. Similarly, an arm chair, covered with cloth was placed at strategic spot inside the make-shift shrine, flanked by two other plastic chairs. There were also bottles of palm oil and other liquid littering the floor, while knives and plates were also found inside.
One can puke after seeing the iron mesh filled with some cooked flesh of the victim, with putrid odour oozing from it. Consequently, the decomposing limbs of the victim were dug out of the shallow grave where they were buried some few metres away from the shrine.
However, the victim's head and other vital parts like breasts, hands, and genital among others were not found. But something that looked like her heart was placed on fire outside. Femi Awise, the ring leader of the gang was said to have been able to perpetrate his evil deeds under the guise of being an herbalist and a farmer.
During the commissioner of police's visit to the scene, residents of Isara, Eposo and Ode Remo thronged the shrine, to catch a glimpse of it. The local government chairman, Femi Soyemi, expressed shock at the discovery. “I was shocked because I never expected this kind of horrible and brutal thing exists here.” He stated.
The CP said the shrine was discovered through discreet investigations by his men.
“We were able to locate the shrine through a discreet investigation by our men. We were able to track the okada rider that took her to the shrine.I would not know what would make some people to brutally cut down a girl in this manner.
“Five suspects have been arrested and investigation has commenced, we will leave no stone unturned to get the other fleeing suspects.I am appealing to parents that it is not only enough to send their children to school, but they must do follow-up on them.” The victim was declared missing since Saturday June 7. It was those who saw her on the day she was being conveyed to the shrine by the okada rider, who gave out this information, which led to the arrest of the suspects and location of the shrine.
Suspected remains of Miss Owolabi
The police have arrested five male suspects: Sotola Wasiu, ,23, Ali Lateef, 22, Adeyemi Ademolu, 29, Omolaso Taye, 21 and Damilare Akinyemi, 22.
Those arrested are currently assisting the police in their investigation.
He also directed that the Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, Eleweran, Abeokuta, should take over the case for proper investigation and charge those involved in the crime to court as when due.
The police boss however sympathised with the family of the deceased, Morenikeji, and her colleagues for their loss, assuring them that justice will be done on the matter.
The Commissioner of Police also assured the people of Ogun Staye that the police will work assiduously to provide adequate security in every part of the state.