Father and daughter
Father and daughter apprehended for abduction. Police have detained three people, including a father and daughter, in connection with the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric, Alhaji Ibra Alli Bodunde, in Ondo State.
The 67-year-old cleric, the Chief Imam of Uso Community in the state’s Owo Local Government Area, was abducted while working on his farm last month.
He was reportedly released the next day after paying a N2 million ransom.
The suspects were apprehended at the command headquarters in Akure, the state capital, on Tuesday, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, who said the suspects were apprehended due to the rapid action of the command’s operatives.
Muinah Mohammed, Aisha Bello, and Isah Bello are among the suspects, according to her.
“On June 18, 2023, around 6 p.m., one Mrs Bodunde went to the Uso Division to complain that her husband, Alli Bodunde, went to the farm and he was supposed to return around 2 p.m., but unfortunately, when they did not see him, they sent two persons to the farm to look for him,” she said.
“When they arrived at the farm, they saw his car and phone but couldn’t see him.” The police responded immediately after the matter was reported, and the man was released at the end of the day.
“However, during the investigation, we discovered that the man in question is the Chief Imam of the Uso community, and we were able to apprehend the suspects through our intelligence team.”
According to one of the suspects, Isah Bello, his accomplice, Mohammed, obtained his SIM card from his daughter, Aisha, and the SIM card was used to contact the victim’s family in order to negotiate the ransom.
“My daughter (Aisha) came to me to collect my other SIM card,” Bello explained. I inquired what she planned to do with the SIM card, and she didn’t give me a serious explanation, but because I don’t use it anymore, I gave it to her.
“I had no idea what they did with the SIM card.” I’m not familiar with this boy (Mohammed). I had no knowledge of the subject. I was not detained; my people informed me of the situation, so I went to the Area Command headquarters to report myself.”
Aisha, for her part, agreed to giving Mohammed her father’s SIM card but claimed to be unaware of the reason for which he obtained the SIM card.
Odunlami stated that the suspects would be charged in court soon once the inquiry was completed.