Turkish College abduction: We also killed TV reporter, Alli-Balogun – Suspects confess

7 years ago

Turkish College abduction: We also killed TV reporter, Alli-Balogun – Suspects confess

Some of the suspected masterminds of the syndicate who kidnapped pupils and staff members of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges, NTIC, have confessed to the crime and opened up on other ills they committed in the past.

Recall that the suspects on January 13 stormed the NTIC through a hole dug under the school fence and headed for the female hostel, where three pupils were abducted.

The kidnappers had demanded N1.2 billion ransom.

They were said to have reduced the ransom to N750 million Some relatives of the victims had reportedly begged the abductors to collect N2 million for the release of their wards.

Luck, however, ran out on some of them while coming out of the creeks in Majidun, Ikorodu, with some bags on Monday as they were nabbed by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, led by ACP Abba Kyari, although, some other members of the gang are yet to be arrested.

Those arrested thus far include – Alex Supper, aka Yanga, Philip Kakadu aka General Kakadu; Romeo Council aka Raw; Bekewei Agbojule, aka Prince Yellow, Totki Okoda; and a nurse, Felicia Weinoh, who reportedly took care of kidnap victims.

One of the suspects, 21-year-old Alex Supper, aka Yanga, in his confession on Tuesday said his gang has several camps in creeks in Ogun and Lagos states.

Yanga, who hails from Arogbo town in Ondo State, said he was invited to the kidnap gang by a friend called Austen.

He said, “I worked with Stone who is a commander of the camp and he works under Ossy, our overall boss. We have 38 rifles in our camp in Ajegunle, Ikorodu.

“My first operation was in Majidun, Ikorodu, and we were seven who went for the operation. Our gang leader, American, was the one who killed a television presenter (Alli-Balogun) in December on Ikorodu Road that day.

“He told us after the operation that he dropped the woman, who was with a man and two children, but the man ran out of the car with one of the children. The woman wanted to speed off when he shot her and abducted her daughter.

“We kidnapped six persons, including the woman’s two year-old daughter and a ransom of N2m was paid before their release.

“A few weeks ago, one of the leaders in our camp, Julius, brought the job of the kidnapping of the Turkish schoolgirls and staff members.

“We didn’t beat them while we negotiated with their relatives because one of the students and the white woman among them assured us that the money we demanded would be paid. When the ransom was paid, I got N2m.”

On his part, the other suspect, Ayeomi, who was paraded alongside, said his roles were to monitor the camp and cook for the gang.

Ayeomi said, “I am a wood logger and was invited to join this camp by my friends. They told me that they were expecting big money. My job was to cook for the kidnappers and their victims. I also got N2m,” he added.

ACP Abba Kyari said the squad will stop at nothing to apprehend the fleeing members, adding that 38 Ak-47 rifles were discovered in their camp in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.