I faked my kidnap to get money from my parents – suspect

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

A 29 years old man, Segun Mafimidowo, on Thursday confessed that he faked his alleged kidnap in order to get money from his parents.
Mafimidowo, was one of the 42 suspected criminals paraded by the Ogun State Police Command at the Eleweeran, Abeokuta headquarters on Thursday.

He said he connived with some of his friends to demand for N8 million ransom from his parents under the pretense that he had been kidnapped by some unknown gunmen in Sagamu area of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, Mafimidowo, also sent pictures where he was tied on both hands to his parents.
“The purported abductors later sent an account number of one Ogbu Abraham in which he directed the parents to pay the ransom to, but the anti-kidnapping section of the command embarked on technical based investigation which led to where Segun Mafimidowo and his so-called abductors, who are all his friends were hibernating,” he said. 
Thirty-two suspected secret cult members who allegedly played significant roles in various cult clashes across the state in recent times were also paraded.

Oyeyemi disclosed that 93 suspected cultists from different confraternity groups arrested between March, 2022 till date, are currently undergoing prosecution in the state.
The PPRO said ‘the harvest of secret cult members’ was part of the relentless efforts of the command at checkmating activities of cultists in the state.

Also paraded were 18-year old Daniel Njoku, 21-year old Damilare Ogundiran and Olamilekan Adebayo for allegedly abducting a 15-year old girl sent on errand by her parents, raped her turn-by-turn before they later forcefully initiated her into their secret cult group.
Oyeyemi further disclosed that the war against cultism, which has continued to yield positive results was a demonstration of the commitment of the command towards ensuring that the state was free of criminals, particularly on its earlier statement towards ensuring that the ‘7/7’ Confraternity Anniversary in the state does not hold.
“We are still not relenting in getting other members of these dreaded groups out of circulation, in order to allow the law abiding citizens to sleep with their two eyes closed. 
“I hereby, appeal to parents and guardians to call their wards to order as this command will be rolling out all in its arsenal to wage war against all would-be-criminals, particularly the cultists among them,” he added.