The Ogun state police command have arrested Kayode Oshiyemi, a lawyer, for attempting to extort N250 million from a businessman, Shakirudeen Olufowobi.
Spokesperson of the state police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who paraded the suspect before newsmen today, said Kayode and his accomplices namely Adeborode Ogunlaja, Sodiq Owolabi, Abolaji Alabi, Mukaila Abolaji, Abiodun Adebayo and Abolaji Adebola, were arrested following a petition to the police from the businessman.
The petitioner, Olufowobi, who runs a farm in Ijebu Ode, alleged the lawyer made several attempts to make him part with millions of naira through various dubious means. He said after several failed attempts, the lawyer connived with his accomplices to get him kidnapped for ransom.
The police spokesperson said following the petition, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ahmed Iliyasu, directed the officer in charge of FSARS, Uba Adam, to conduct an investigation.
"In compliance with the CP’s order, the outfit embarked on a technical-based investigation and also technically monitored the activities of the said lawyer.”
During the investigation, the lawyer was caught on tape planning with the others to use any possible means to make the businessman cough out N250 million. The police swung into action and arrested some of the accomplices who confessed to working with the lawyer to kidnap the businessman.
"On interrogation, Mukaila Abolaji narrated how the lawyer in collaboration with Adeborode Ogunlaja lured him into the plan to fraudulently extort money from the complainant and how the money will be shared among them, stating that he reluctantly keyed in to the plan because of the amount of money involved.
"In his own statement, Abiodun Adebayo who regretted knowing the lawyer, accused him of once using him to profess a fake miracle in a crusade organised by one of his pastor friends where he was asked to tie a live tortoise on his chest and come out while the crusade is going on to confess been a strong member of an occultist group who is disturbed by the pastor’s prayer.”
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Iliyasu, has ordered the suspects charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded.