Suspects Involved In Killing Of US Hotelier, Owolabi, Nabbed In Oyo

Suspected killers of the Nigerian born but United States, US based hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi have been apprehended, the Oyo State Police Command has revealed.

The three suspects who also killed a final year student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Rachel Opadele were apprehended after they kidnapped another person, Alhaji Waheed Hameed, a cattle dealer on September 16 who was recently freed by the police. The freed victim revealed the connection between the suspects and the killing of the hotelier and the student.

GWG.ng reports that the duo were kidnapped on July 29, 2022,at Aba area of Ogbomoso and later killed by their abductors in August despite the payment of N5 million ransom.

Owolabi who is a US citizen was subsequently transported by the United States for burial in his adopted country.

Parading the the suspects before newsmen at the Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Thursday, December 22, 2022, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP. Adewale Osifeso, said the trio was arrested following the kidnap of Hameed.

The police spokesman said the suspected kidnappers, who had been terrorising people of Ogbomoso, kidnapped Hameed at a desolate spot, while armed with AK-47 Riffles and other dangerous weapons and later whisked their victim away into a thick forest.

He said that the suspects later contacted the victim’s relative and demanded for N1 million ransom before he could be released.

According to him, when the command team got wind of the incident, it deployed all available resources in rescuing the victim unhurt with his abductors arrested.

“Sequel to this directive, operatives attached to the Monitoring Unit swung into action and in the process of combing the thick forest alongside local hunters and members of Vigilance group, they stumbled upon where the victim was held captive and rescued him unhurt.

Kidnappers Also Involved in Killing of US Hotelier, Owolabi

“The victim during debriefing, narrated his ordeal in the hands of his abductors and explained that while the kidnappers were negotiating his ransom, they claimed responsibility for the death of an Ogbomosho hotelier, Mr Gbenga Owolabi, threatening that he (the abductee) would suffer a similar fate should his ransom payment process get thwarted by involving the police,” the PPRO stated.

“The victim also gave other useful information to the Police operatives and this led to the arrest of three members of the kidnapping syndicate,” Osifeso disclosed.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG