We collected N3m ransom before releasing David-West’s wife – Kidnappers

Seven men who kidnapped the wife of a former Petroleum minister, Mrs. Taye David-West, on March 23, 2013, in Akure, Ondo State have confessed that they collected N3m ransom from her family before she was set free.

The victim, who is the daughter of the Late Asamo of Akure kingdom, Chief Adesanya Asamo, was abducted around 1am on the fateful day and was kept for 12 days before her captors freed her after the ransom had been paid.

Luck, however, ran out on them when four of the gang members, including the leader, were arrested by the police in Akure and Owo towns.

According to the state’s Commissioner of police, Mr. Patrick Dukumor, those arrested in connection with the crime are Dare Olofinji, Dada Bamidele, Fanibe Olayemi and the leader, Joseph Akogun.

Dukumor, who explained that the suspects had confessed to the crime, also said two of the five-member gang that kidnapped a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority, Akure, Mrs. Olubunmi Oke, on March 21, had been arrested by detectives.

Dukumor added that the detectives traced one of the criminals, Mr. Michael Onaibre, to Benin and arrested him through the blackberry phone he stole from Oke. Onabire later aided the police to arrest one Shedrach Etuwe.

Speaking with Metro while being paraded by the police on Wednesday, Akogun, explained that David-West family member masterminded the crime.

He added that the mastermind also facilitated the payment of the ransom and collected the lion’s share.

He said, “I was contracted by the victim’s family member who told me that he would facilitate the kidnap of the woman, who she described as the wife of a former petroleum minister in the country.

“The man gave us details of how we would carry out the operation and was the same person who was the link between us and the family of our victim while we kept her incommunicado inside the Owo forest reserve. We collected N3m before she was set free.”

The Ondo police boss also apologised to members of the public for the death of a widow allegedly killed by a police constable about two weeks ago.

He said, “While I am not holding brief for the dismissed policeman, the incident could be put in the realm of a very costly mistake. Nobody will set out in the morning with the intent of going out to kill somebody, especially if the policeman is an indigene of Ondo State working within his state.

“We are very sorry about the incident and we have already reached out to the family of the deceased to apologise.”