Before their eventual discovery, the couple had reportedly traversed round Lagos and other adjourning areas in company of operatives from the Special Investigations Bureau, SIB, attached to Lagos State Police command headquarters in Ikeja.
EARLY WARNING
Incidentally, few weeks before this abduction took place, the State Police Command had issued a release advising residents to always investigate properly and document the background of people they want to engage as house helps. They further advised that police should be fully involved during the process of engagement so that they would be able to document the identities of such people in order to avoid ugly incidents like this.
FAMILY RAISE ALARM
Police sources said immediately the distraught couple, Mr. and Mrs. Orekoya, raised alarm after discovering that a house help, Mary Akinloye abducted their children just 24 hours after she was employed by the family via OLX, an online sales portal, the State Police boss, Kayode Aderanti directed his men at Surulere to swing into action and carry out preliminary investigations.
Funmilayo Adeyemi alleged kidnaper of three Orekoya’s kids
Funmilayo Adeyemi alleged kidnaper of three Orekoya’s kids
Tension heightened the following day when instead of the maid showing up with the children, she spoke with the family on phone and handed over to an accomplice who gave them a two-day ultimatum to produce N15 million ransom with threats that they would lose the children if they failed to make the money available. In fact, it was gathered that the kidnappers used the word ‘delete ‘ to describe the extent they were ready to go if the family failed to comply with their demand. The traumatized mother of the children did not hesitate when she promised to pay N10 million.
POLICE SWINGS INTO ACTION
Piqued by the development, the visibly worried Police boss then directed that the case be transferred to the Special Investigations Bureau, SIB, at the headquarters where the Superintendent of Police in-charge, Veronica Ameh-Akpa, a tested and highly intelligent officer, was detailed to set up a crack team with stern instructions to rescue the missing children and round up the kidnappers within 48 hours. That was how the stage was set for the melodrama, intrigues, frustrations and eventual rescue of the missing children.
Police sources intimated Crime Guard that the team led by one Supol Bright swung into action by constantly keeping discreet tab on the kidnappers who were busy issuing threats upon threats to the family. While negotiations were going on, operatives of the SIB were busy counselling the family, collecting data and at the same time, combing all nooks and crannies of the city of excellence in search of clues. Their efforts were also complemented by those of operatives from the dreaded Special anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, who swooped on all known criminal hide outs and black spots in search of the kidnappers.
APPREHENSION SETS IN
It was gathered that the hoodlums were very apprehensive and were expecting their ransom after they read that family members of the kidnapped children were publicly making frantic appeals to good spirited individuals, churches and cooperate bodies to help them raise the ransom in order to save their children.
They, therefore, increased their calls and demand for ransom with threats to ‘terminate lives of the children if the family should play pranks.’ They later reduced the ransom from N13 million to N8 million and then eventually to N2.5 million. A representative of the family was detailed to pay it into the designated bank of their choice.
PAYMENT OF RANSOM AND CONNIVANCE WITH BANK OFFICIAL
That done, SIB agents were detailed to keep vigil permanently over the account with bank officials. The game plan was to allow the kidnapped have access to the ransom without hindrance. This was to re-assure them that it was paid and to safeguard the children. While the security agents were dutiful watching over the account, the clever criminals went and withdrew some money from two different ATM points at Mushin.
The dare-devils who are suspected to be conniving with a bank official were able to withdraw money from one of the points where their CCTV was faulty. Detectives strongly suspect that they may have succeeded in carrying out the smart manoeuvre with the aid of an insider in the bank. Police authorities immediately blocked the account in other to make it impossible for them to carry out further withdrawals.
THE RIGMAROLE AND MANOUVER
Assured now that their ransom was intact, they called the father of the children to go to a point at Ikorodu and carry his children. The elated man sped off with all the energy he could muster, closely followed by agents of SIB but ended up not seeing his children. As the crestfallen man was bemoaning his fate, the abductors called again and directed him to go to Shagamu.
When he got to Shagamu, they called again and directed him back to Ikorodu. At this stage, according to police sources, they suspected that the criminals were merely playing games. More over, the police team keeping tab on them were able to decipher that the caller was still operating from somewhere around Oshodi inside Lagos. They beat a fast retreat and started combing black spots inside Lagos. This singular decision by the team leader paid off but unfortunately, it failed to lead to the arrest of the suspects who ended up dumping the innocent and hapless children naked inside a bag in an uncompleted building around Shasha area of Egbeda, Lagos.
SUCCOR AT LAST
The children were found with their skin ravaged by mosquitoes by a man who over heard their strident cries from the building. The good Samaritan immediately alerted the Police at Shasha who raced to the scene and rescued the children. They were immediately rushed to the Police hospital, Ikeja where they were treated and later released to their joyous parents.
Meanwhile, Crime Guard learnt that operatives at the SIB and SARS renewed their resolve to crack the case and intensified efforts. It eventually paid off as they were able to corner the fleeing house help inside a dilapidated building at the same Shasha. As at the time of writing this report, serious efforts are in top gear to round up her accomplices. Detectives are said to be working round the clock in that regard.