19-year-old Tajudeen Igikalo arrested for kidnapping 16-year-old girl

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

A 19-year-old boy, Tajudeen Igikalo, has been arrested by operatives of Edo state police command for kidnapping.

Igikalo who was arrested at his residence in Egba, on the Benin-Auchi road, was said to have kidnapped a 16-year-old girl (name withheld).

A statement by the command’s PRO, Kontongs Bello, said “the command through the men of the Anti-kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit received a report from the victim’s mother who alleged that her daughter left home for school on 25th of March, 2021 but did not return  home. The police immediately swung into action.”

The statement further explained that the suspect contacted the mother of the victim on phone, and demanded N3,000,000.00 ransom through a provided bank account number before her daughter can be released.

“He further threatened that she will be killed or be sold to Fulani herdsmen if no payment,”

“On 29th of March, 2021, the victim’s mother paid the sum of #550,000.00 into a bank account number made available by the kidnapper.

“On 30/03/2021, operatives of Anti-kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit of the command through Hi-tech intelligence and a painstaking investigation, arrested the suspect and rescued the victim in his residence.

“The suspect has made confessional statement,” the statement added.

Items recovered from the suspect include two laptops, one new generating set, one industrial standing fan allegedly bought from the proceeds of the ransom paid, and N220,000.00 cash.