Gunmen abduct six-month-old, seven others in Lagos, Ogun communities

By Christopher Oji and
Olakunle Olafioye

Suspected kidnappers yesterday morning abducted four landlords in Isheri, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun States.
The victims who are landlords at Oshorun Heritage Estate had gone beside Lekki Garden Estate with four others for their Saturday routine exercise when their abductors struck.
Earlier reports had put the number of the abducted landlords at nine but Sunday Sun’s checks indicated that although the abductors attempted to kidnap seven of them, they only succeeded in kidnapping four of the landlords.
There are however conflicting reports as to the manner of the escape of the three other landlords.
While one security source informed Sunday Sun that the remaining three landlords escaped from their abductors shortly after they were picked, another source said they were let go by their abductors because the vehicle brought by the them could not contain all of them.
The gunmen numbering about eight were said to have covered their faces with masks and threatened to kill anyone who resisted them.
A resident John Kosiso told one of our correspondents that “the gunmen came through the creeks and took away the landlords.
“The victims usually have their Saturday fitness training near Lekki Gardens Estate, near the bush. I think they abducted their physical trainer also.
“This morning, they arrived at the place and spread their mats and were about starting the aerobics, when the gunmen came out from the bush.
“They were about eight that came out. They covered their faces with masks and they were all wearing military uniform. Four of them blocked different paths, while the remaining four of them went for the landlords.
“Eight landlords were initially abducted, four of the landlords went the same direction and they were taken away by the gunmen, while four others escaped.
“The trainer also ran into a different direction and nobody can say what has happened to him. We have looked around the area and we could not find him.
The matter was later reported at Isheri Divisional Police Station in Lagos State by the landlords, who escaped from the gunmen,” Kosiso narrated.
The residents, however, expressed their displeasure at what they described as the insensitivity of the policemen, who came to the area, shortly after the landlords were abducted.
One of the residents said,  “the policemen came and did not even bother to search the bush around the area. It appeared that they were afraid of the gunmen.”
When contacted, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ambimbola Oyeyemi informed our correspondent that the scene of the crime was under the jurisdiction of Lagos Police Command and directed that his Lagos counterpart be contacted for details.
Oyeyemi however said that the Ogun State Command of the force was working in conjunction with Lagos Police Command.
His Lagos Command counterpart, Dolapo Badmos, told one of our correspondents that the incident happened under Ogun State jurisdiction.
The residents have called on the Assistant Inspector General Of  Police in charge of  Zone 11 Command comprising Lagos and Ogun States to do something about boundary towns between the states as policemen always give excuses over jurisdiction.
In a similar development, suspected kidnappers abducted three women and a six-month-old baby at Ogbodu Isiwo community.
The victims who are farmers, Sunday Sun gathered, were said to have been kidnapped along Igbodu Isiwo Road area of area of Epe, Lagos State, on Friday morning. They were kidnapped along with the baby.
Two of the victims were said to be farm owners while the third victim was said to be a farm worker.
The farmers were identified as Oluwatoyosi Aboderin, Ogechi Maku and the farm worker who was simply identified as Togo. The baby belonged to the sister of one of the victims, Aboderin.
Although the exact spot, where the women were kidnapped remained uncertain, a version of the story said they were abducted along the road, while another version said they were kidnapped on the farm.
There was also another controversy over whether the women were abducted on Lagos soil or Ogun State.
Speaking on both incidents, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni said: “‎There are conflicting reports on the exact area where the women were abducted. Some people are saying, it’s Ogun State, some are saying Lagos State. “But wherever it happened doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me, is that some people were kidnapped. That’s the paramount thing for me. We’re already on the case,” he said.