A family has been left in tears after a 20-year-old man allegedly kidnapped their two year old son who was coming back from school.
A 20-year-old man, Samuel Olabanji, was beaten to a pulp after stealing a two-year-old boy coming back from Arabic school on Tunkarimu Street, Ajegunle, Lagos.
It was gathered that the little boy identified as Rokeeb Akinwale was returning from school on February 25 with 10-year-old Shukra, a neigbour, who carried him on her back while returning home around 6pm. But suddenly, the two were attacked by Shukra who snatched the boy from the girl.
As news spread, Rokeeb’s mother, Mrs. Sadiat Akinwale, reported the matter to Ajegunle Police Division the same day by after searching for him to no avail. As of Thursday, the young boy is yet to be found.
However, nemesis caught up with Olabanji when on on February 29, he along with three other men returned to the area for another operation and was caught. Others escaped but he was caught and beaten mercilessly until police rescued him.
According to the police, Olabanji confessed to the crime, and a manhunt has been set to arrest his gang members.
Punch reports that while confessing to the crime, Olabanji said: “I am a secondary school leaver. Presently, I don’t have any job. I am into kidnapping with Sunday, Bidemi and Tunde. We came to Ajegunle sometime in February and kidnapped two kids. We took them to one Rasheed, who lives in Ipaja Ayobo and he paid us for the children.
“On February 29, we came back to Ajegunle to steal another baby, but I was caught while others escaped.”
Rokeeb’s mother believes his son is alive and will soon be rescued. She said: “That was not the first time Shukra would take him to the school. She said Rokeeb was crying when a man approached her. He took him from her back, claiming that he wanted to pacify him. Before she knew, the man had disappeared. We have searched for him. I have faith in God that he will come back to us.”
Olabanji has been charged to court. He pleaded not guilty before Mrs. A.O. Adegite's Apapa Magistrate Court. The police prosecutor, Sergeant Francisca Okere, in the charge sheet said "That you, Samuel Olabanji and others at large in February 2016, on Tunkarimu Street, Ajegunle Apapa, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: child stealing.”
According to Okere, the offence is said to be punishable under sections 275 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
The magistrate subsequently adjourned till March 14, 2016 for facts and sentence.
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