A man identified as Gabriel, who had been terrorizing residents of Ogbere in Ogun State with threats of abduction and assassination to extort money, has been apprehended by the Ogun State Police Command.
The suspect was arrested on July 17, 2024, while attempting to withdraw money sent to him by a victim at a Point-of-Sale operator’s shop.
According to a police officer, a resident, Helen Orube, reported to the Ogbere Police Division that she received a call from an unknown person named Promise, who claimed to have been paid to abduct and kill her unless she transferred a specified amount of money to a particular account number.
The officer stated, “She received a call from a man who identified himself to her as Promise on July 13, 2024. The suspect told her on the phone that he had been paid to abduct and kidnap her.”
Orube, frightened by the call, sent the money to the account number provided. However, she also reported the incident to the police, who advised her to pretend to comply with the suspect’s demands. The police then positioned themselves at strategic locations, leading to Gabriel’s arrest while attempting to withdraw the money.
The command spokesperson, Odutola Omolola, stated, “The victim sent the money to a PoS account. The police division had earlier sent officers to key places in the area, waiting for the suspect to arrive. He was immediately arrested by the men of the division.” Upon interrogation, Gabriel claimed he was sent by another suspect named Jide to withdraw the money. The police are currently working to arrest Jide. The suspect will be taken to the state criminal investigation department for further investigation.
