Pregnant woman, brother and husband nabbed for kidnapping

The people of a community in Ile-Ife are yet to come to terms with the confession of an eight-month pregnant woman, her brother and husband

- The three who are members of a six-man gang of kidnappers, gave heart-rending confessions about their act

Falope Arinola, an eight-month pregnant woman from Ile-Ife in Osun state, his brother and husband have shocked their community after it was discovered they are members of a six-man gang of kidnappers.

The gang’s fortune was decimated after it allegedly kidnapped a five-year-old boy whose name was given as Ojo Adegboyega from his father’s house at Ipetu Ijesa, a nearby town.

The pregnant woman, her brother who is a prophet as well as her husband were arrested for kidnapping

The Nigerian Tribune reports that the gang carried out the crime in connivance with some of the victim’s family members.

The Commissioner of police in the state, Olafimihan Adeoye, revealed that the case was reported by the victim’s father on December 21.

The gang released the boy on December 26 after the payment of a N550,000 ransom.

"On December 27, the team of detectives tracked the hidden phone number the suspects used to call the victim’s father, leading to the arrest of Falope Lateef (43), Sunday Akinboye (35), Tope Akinboye (37), Idowu Adewole (43), Arinola Falope ‘f’ (26) all residing at Ile-Ife, Osun state and Adebisi Victoria (20) from Ipetu-Ijesa. The suspects confessed to committing the crime and efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects," the commissioner said.

Aarinola reportedly admitted being part of the planning and execution of the kidnap of the boy.

“We abducted a five-year-old boy from Ipetu Ijesa. I worked with my brothers, Sunday and Tope Akinboye and relations of the victim’s father, Dammy and Alex.

“Alex told my brother, Sunday that his brother, the victim’s father, was stingy and he needed to get money from him through the kidnap of the boy.

“My brother informed me and asked me to follow them to the place. I went with them and we kidnapped the boy. He was kept in my house for four days before his release when his father paid a ransom of N550,000. I was given N30,000.

“My husband was not aware of the kidnap plan until the child was brought to our house. He was angry when I told him and said he would not allow the child in his house.

“But I pleaded with him that he should be patient till a ransom is paid. My brothers, Sunday and Tope were the one who went to collect the ransom. My husband was given N15,000,” she said.

Sunday Akinboye, Arinola’s brother who claimed to be a prophet in a white garment church, confessed that Dammy, who is married to the brother of the victim’s father, and one Alex contacted him.

“I contacted Tope, Ope and my sister. We went with two toy guns to the victim’s house in Ipetu Ijesa after Alex told us that his father had gone out. I called the father after the kidnap and demanded N10 million as ransom. The father said he could only afford N550,000.

“I arranged where he would bring the money to at Ajia Village in Ibadan. He dropped the money and we took the child back to Ipetu-Ijesa early the following day to a mosque and contacted the family. I got N150,000 as my share,” he said.

Aarinola’s husband, Falope Lateef Olusola (43), confessed to collecting part of the ransom even though he was not a part of the deal.

He said: “I am an okada rider and also have a barbing salon. My first wife had four children for me but we are separated. It is the new wife I just got who put me in this current trouble. Penultimate Wednesday, my wife called and said her brother wanted to see me.

“I went home and saw her with her two brothers and one boy. They told me they wanted to keep the boy with my wife to take care of him. I said there was no problem since they were my in-laws. I went back to work.

“It was when I returned home later that my wife explained how the boy was kidnapped through a plan by my brother-in-law’s stepdaughter, Dammy, and one Alex. Dammy was married to the younger brother of the victim’s father.

“I was angry, asking how she could do that when she was also carrying a child. I told her to tell her brother to take the child away, but she was adamant. I would have sent her away before this incident if not that she is pregnant. This is because she is too stubborn.

“Four days later, they took the child away. Some days, after, the brothers called me and gave me N15,000 to celebrate the Yuletide. They told me they had collected ransom from the victim’s father.”