How man escaped from kidnappers’ den

 

 Saves family N50m

Olawale Alalde (not real names) was at the gate to his residence when he was abducted by unknown gunmen. He was also taken away. But hours later, without being released and no ransom paid, he returned home to his family. How?
For 24 hours, last month, Olawale Alade (not real names) was the guest of suspected kidnappers. His wife and family were unable to trace his whereabouts. Alade’s abduction was carried out in front of his house at Ajibola Street, Okota, in Lagos State on Sunday, October 21, 2012. Alade had reportedly attended church in the morning of that fateful day but did not return home with his family.
He reportedly went to a get-together after the church service. Apparently wanting to return home before dusk to refresh for office for the next day, Alade left the party earlier than his friends claiming he wanted to beat the terrible traffic at Isolo area, close to his house. Alade drove his Acura TL Saloon car that day.
In less than an hour, he was at the gate of his house, which is always securely locked. As is the practice in the compound for car owners, Alade reportedly alighted from his car trying to open the gate to his house. But before he could do that, something happened. Just as Alade shut the door of his car for him to open the gate to his house gate, another car screeched to a halt beside him.
Unknown to Alade, however, it was discovered that the car had trailed him all the way from where he was coming. Inside the car were gun-wielding men. Two of them reportedly alighted and walked briskly towards Alade who was asked to cooperate with them and follow them to their own car. A bemused Alade would not yield to such threat.
He wanted to give a fight, but was reportedly dealt a slap by one of the men, who threatened to have him shot, should he refuse their orders. While this drama was going on, passersby were held spellbound by the kidnappers as no one in the vicinity could raise his voice apparently for fear of being killed by the men. Alade’s abduction reportedly did not last more than three minutes.
Like in a novel, Alade was reportedly bundled into the kidnappers’ car and the driver sped off immediately to an unknown destination. A female neighbour, who pleaded anonymity, told reporters narrated Alade’s abduction saying it smacked of rehearsed scene.
“I was going to the bus stop to get some items when I suddenly saw that the man (Alade) being slapped by one of the men. At first I thought he had hit their car and tried to escape being held accountable for it. But when the three men brought out guns, everyone around ran for cover and no one could do anything until the man was bundled into their car right in our presence.,” the woman said.
Alade later told security operatives that he was blindfolded once in the kidnappers’ car and driven round the state until nightfall when they finally arrived at his abductors’ hideout.
The hideout later turned out to be a three bedroom flat at Lambe area in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. Immediately he was taken to their hideout, the kidnappers allegedly seized Alade’s two mobile phones from where they got their his wife’s telephone number. The kidnappers immediately rang Alade’s home whose family were already reporting the matter at nearby police station at the time the kidnappers rang.
The kidnappers were firm in their demand of N50 million ransom for the abducted. That night at their hideout, Alade claimed his abductors celebrated and drank themselves to stupor. Their joy perhaps was the cooperation of their victim’s family to the ransom demand.
After some hours of merry, the kidnappers retired to their rooms and left Alade in the store of the flat. Deep into the night, Alade reportedly walked to the door of the apartment and tried the knob which he discovered was unlocked.
He reportedly quietly opened the door and walked towards the entrance door which was also not securely locked. Within minutes, Alade was at the gate of the building and reportedly climbed the wall to scale the fence. Moments later, Alade was racing towards the nearest bus stop where he reportedly found a commercial motorcycle that ferried him out of the area.
The okada rider would later told Alade that the place he picked him (Alade) was called Lambe. Alade later turned up at the SARS following day to report the incident. The law enforcement agents immediately began a manhunt for the kidnappers. Alade later took policemen to the hideout of the kidnappers. By the time policemen got to the house, the kidnappers had disappeared.
Luck, however, ran out on the kidnappers on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, as two of them, including a woman, were picked up by operatives of the Lagos SARS at another hideout. The other two were arrested by same team around Alagbole area of Akute, near Lagos State. A police source said that Alade’s bravery saved him from the kidnappers. “The man was only lucky because the manner of his escape were the sheer help of God.
He could have been killed if found to be making an escape attempt. We were able to trace them to their hideout at Lambe and arrested two of them. “During a follow up, two others were arrested at Alagbole area of Akute, Ogun, and some exhibits were recovered from them,” the source said. Head of Lagos SARS, Superintendent of Police Abba Kyari, confirmed the arrest of the four suspects.
Kyari tlld reporters that the suspects are being interrogated to know their level of involvement in the crime. The crime buster claimed that upon conclusion of investigation, the suspects would be arraigned in court.