Police arrest FESTAC’s dreaded kidnap kingpin

Policemen attached to FESTAC Divisional headquarters, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State have arrested a suspected leader of a kidnap gang that has been terrorising residents of FESTAC Town and its environs.

Arrested alongside the suspect popularly known as ‘King Solomon’, were two members of his gang. The Guardian gathered that among his victims was a female customs officer, who was abducted in front of an eatery in FESTAC Town last year, in the presence of her daughter.

Under-cover policemen led by the FESTAC Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Olukole Oladeinde, a Chief Superintendent of Police, arrested the suspect said to have been on the command’s wanted list on Tuesday evening.

It was gathered that on realizing that the plain-clothed personnel were policemen, Solomon, attempted to stab the DPO with a knife but was overpowered. Policemen, who cordoned off the entire building, also picked up his members, who attempted to resist arrest.

Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State police command, Fatai Owoseni, said: “Police under-cover agents have been working on information on this suspect. One of the victims rescued was traced to his house, which served as haven for criminal activities, where kidnapped victims around FESTAC Town are kept.”

As at yesterday, the suspect was still being interrogated by detectives at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, (SCIID), Panti, with a view to arresting other members of his gang.