Last week, the three girls Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo were kidnapped by gunmen from their dormitory in the school. Following their abduction, the police began a state-wide search for them and yesterday, they were found and released unharmed, while three of the kidnappers were arrested.
Pastor Oluwaseun, Emmanuel Arigidi and James Henry alias Segun Alabi Olatunde, were paraded before journalists yesterday by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni. It is believed that the gang were the same bank robbers who unleashed hell in Lagos last year, robbing banks in Lekki, Ikorodu and Festac Town, as well as Agbara in Ogun State.
During their reign of terror, they killed women, children and policemen and also maimed and injured members of the public. They graduated to kidnapping this year and after the girls were abducted, they kept them in Adamma Forest, across the river in the Ikorodu area.
A notorious member of the gang, Arigidi said they attacked the school with eight boats and 10 AK47 rifles during the kidnapping operation. He also confirmed that he was a member of the robbers who attacked banks in Ikorodu, having been recruited by Clement Abanara, popularly known as Millions, who was their leader.
One police source said: “A father of two of the kidnappers went to the creek on Saturday in a canoe, after getting description of the gang’s location from one of the suspects arrested by the inspector general of police's team. The old man went and pleaded with his sons and the gang members to release the girls immediately because police had made several arrests, including the arrest of Arigidi.
“He told them that he heard that Arigidi was about to lead 500 armed policemen to the creek. This apparently made the kidnappers assure the father on Saturday that they would release the girls unfailingly.”
Pastor Oluwaseun added: “I’m just a trader at Adamo Street in Ikorodu and I sell recharge cards, phone and SIM cards. When policemen were calling me, I told them where they could find me because I hadn’t done anything wrong.
"I told them to ask for Pastor when they get to my area but the next thing I knew was that they arrested me. Our church is not far from my shop.”
However, according to Mr Owoseni, Pastor Oluwaseun was a conspirator as he was the person who sent recharge cards to the kidnappers, which they used in calling and negotiating for a ransom. Although the girls have been released to their principal, 11 other members of the gang are said to still be at large.
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