By Bose Adelaja
CITIZENS COMPASS –Residents of Oko-Oba in Orile Agege area of Lagos State have taken a bold step by apprehending a suspected kidnapper and recovered some dangerous weapons in the area.
The suspect and his accomplices were to kidnap the owner of a pharmacy, Samuel Oshanugor, in his car but this was unsuccessful due to the prompt action displayed by the residents.
The pharmacy by name, Navo Pharmacy is located on Ogundele Street, Oko Oba, area.
The incident occurred at about 10p.m on Monday, July 15, 2024.
It was gathered that the four suspected kidnapper participated in the operation but one of them was apprehended and handed over to the Police at Abattoir Police Station.
Narrating the incident to Citizens Compass, a resident simply identified as James said before the foiled kidnap, the suspects had robbed the pharmacy carting away goods and cash.
He said, “the culprits came on bikes, gained access to the pharmacy at about 10 p
m and forcefully took cash and phones.
“The gunmen dragged the owner from the shop into his car that was parked outside, but the tyres got stuck in a bad portion of the road when they tried driving it away,”
Some video clips of the suspect being interviewed by residents were made available to Citizens Compass in the early hours of Tuesday.
The videos captured the suspect narrating the operations.
However, manager of the pharmacy, Lawrence Olawale, said he was at the police station when he was contacted on phone.
A resident of Orile simply identified as Memunat said the pharmacy workers had closed for the day leaving behind the owner unfortunately the four suspects invaded the pharmacy and ordered him to obey instructions or be killed.
She said the robbery operation was successful but some residents raised the alarm which attracted sympathisers, local vigilante and officials of the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps (LNSC) led by Bello Ahmed swung into action by blocking the access road thereby preventing the suspects from escaping.
Residents were said to have made bonfire to prevent the suspecs from escaping as they had already abducted the owner of the pharmacy after robbing him.
They were said to have locked him in his car and was about driving him to an unknown destination but for the poor condition of the road which made the car to get stuck and residens further blocked further passage throwing pebbles at the suspects and overpowered one of them while others fled the scene.
Memunat said the robbery operation was captured by a Close Circuit camera which later identified the suspect to be part of the operation.
At press time, the suspect was being interrogated at the police station with residents providing evidence to back it up.
It was learnt that the search for the fleeing suspects had been activated.
