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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The deputy chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, has said the police must get to the root of the abduction and killing of a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Rachael Opadele, and a United States- based hotelier, Olugbenga Owolabi.
Opadele and Owolabi were abducted at a hotel in Abaa area of Ogbomoso. The duo and a motorcyclist hired to take the bearer of N5 million ransom to the den of the abductors were killed while the bearer, Mr Idowu Ajagbe, escaped.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, on Tuesday visited Abaa, the community in Surulere Local Government Area where the abduction took place as well as the palace of Olugbon.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the monarch said he would go to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on his own to give additional information which would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.
He said: “When the CP and other police officers came today, I told them that the police need to set up its anti-kidnapping unit for the zone at Orile Igbon because this is a border between Oyo State and Kwara State.
“They should also come up with a MOPOL Unit and increase the number of police personnel at Orile Igbon and the CP said the police would intervene immediately.
“I will be going to the State CID to write a statement against what happened. Those who committed the crime must be apprehended. I will give the police additional information to make sure that those behind the criminal activities are apprehended.”
Meanwhile, the state police command spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso,in a statement confirmed that the CP had begun the tour of the area commands in his efforts to beef up security across the state.
He said the CP visited Ogbomoso and Oyo area commands where he met with traditional rulers and local government officials and assured them of the readiness of the police to secure the state.