Ogun state police officers have detained Larry Adewumi, his wife Okereke Olufunmilayo, and one Adebowale Sanni in connection with the kidnapping and murder of well-known hotelier Otunba Abayomi Ajayi in Ijebu-Ode.
The victim was abducted on September 28, 2020, at Anifowose Estate Igbeba, Ijebu ode, according to a statement by the state’s police public relations officer, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi.
According to Mr. Oyeyemi, despite the victim’s family having paid the kidnappers a 15 million naira ransom, all attempts to free the victim from captivity failed. Men from the anti-kidnapping unit were mobilized to start the investigation.
Mr. Oyeyemi went on to say that the police’s efforts paid off in September of this year when they learned of a plot by kidnappers to abduct Otunba Abayomi Ajayi’s son and wife. One of the suspects was tracked down to Ikeji Arakeji in Osun state and caught.
Adebayo Adewumi, the ringleader, whose wife Olufunmilayo happened to work for Otunba Ajayi Smith, had ordered the suspect, Adebowale Sanni, to be on the lookout for Mrs. Ajayi, the wife of their prior victim, in order to kidnap her.
The police spokesperson added that the confession led to the arrest of Larry’s wife who was a manager at the victim’s building materials shop while Larry was arrested three days after.
The commissioner of police, Mr Lanre Bankole, who commended his men for following the suspects until they were arrested, directed that other members of the gang should be brought to book while the suspects be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
