Three suspected kidnappers of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla students have been arrested

The Nigerian police have arrested three suspected members of the gang that organised the kidnap of the six abducted pupils of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, Lagos.

The suspects, Endurance Egelu, aka Jubby, 25; Stanley Irabomini, aka Powei, 25; and 24-year-old Endurance Bentel, were arrested in Benin, Edo State by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response.

The gunmen attacked the school premises at about 6am last Thursday, after writing the school authorities three days earlier, informing them about the attack.

They broke the hostel doors, seized 10 Senior Secondary School students and led them to the shore where their boat was anchored.

After profiling their family backgrounds, four pupils were released, and took away the remaining six pupils in a speedboat.

The kidnapped students have been identified as Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.

Their abductors called some parents of the victims on Saturday demanding N400m each from two parents while two others were asked to pay N100m each.

They later reduced the ransom to N600m on Tuesday.

The Lagos State Government had, however, declined ransom negotiation with the kidnappers, insisting that they would be freed by the security agencies.

A joint rescue operation team, comprising policemen and military personnel, had extended the search for the victims to watersides in Ogun and Ondo states which yielded result on Tuesday when the three suspected militants were trailed to where they were relaxing in Benin, Edo State, around 4pm by operatives of the IRT led by ACP Abba Kyari.

A source told a media house that, “Some arrests have been made. Specifically, three of the gang members have been arrested. Some of them got injured in the Friday gun battle. One of the injured was taken to Benin for treatment. The three suspects came out from the creek to visit him in Benin. The IRT team struck immediately and arrested them.

“They have already confessed to the kidnapping of the six pupils and they are cooperating with us. There is serious effort to rescue the children and arrest other members of the gang.”

Another officer, who has been following the trend of kidnapping in the state, said the suspects were part of the militants who killed four policemen, an Army Captain and injured two other cops in Ishawo, Ikorodu.



“They (the suspects) also confessed to have participated in the kidnappings of prominent personalities in Lagos and Ogun states, including the Oniba of Iba and pupils and staff members of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges, Isheri. They said they came to Benin to see their injured colleague and relax for a while before going back to the creek,” the source added.