Elderly Woman, Three Others, Arrested For Abduction Of Magistrate

By Adesina Soyooye

Shock registered on the faces of onlookers when an elderly woman, Abibatu Jimoh was confirmed to be among the four people arrested by the Kwara State Police Command on Tuesday, October 8, 2022, in connection with the abduction of an Illorin female Magistrate.

Magistrate Oladapo Jumoke Bamigboye, whose husband, a retired Army Colonel, Theophilus Bamigboye, was the Military Administrator of Bauchi and Osun States, was abducted from her farm on Saturday, November 5, 2022.

She was with her abductors until Monday evening when she was released. The criminals had demanded the sum of N100m in ransom money, but it was negotiated down to N50m.

It is not known how much was, finally, paid but Col.Bamigboye, rtd, said his wife was not released for free. He did not disclose how much the unwholesome  business cost.

But on Tuesday, the Kwara State Police Command issued a statement, on parading the four suspects, and said the Magistrate has been rescued.

The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, in a statement  said the Police and a group of hunters traced the vicinity where the Magistrate was kept.

Following is the Police statement on Magistrate Bamigboye’s abduction and release.

ARREST OF KIDNAP SUSPECTS AND RELEASE OF ABDUCTED MAGISTRATE JUMOKE BAMIGBOYE

“On  05/11/2022 at about 1800hrs  an information regarding the abduction of Magistrate Oladapo Jumoke Bamigboye ‘F’, of  GRA, Ilorin was  recieved. The victim was said to have been abducted in her farm located at Ayegun Village via Eyenkorin, Ilorin, at about 1730hrs of same day.

“On reciept of the information, the Commissioner of Police Kwara State, Cp Paul Odama psc(+) immediately dispatched a team of Anti-Kidnapping unit assisted by Vigilante and local hunters to the scene to comb and search for possible rescue of the victim.

“The victim was geo-located  to have  been hidden in the forest between Eyenkorin/Afon/ Ogbomoso axis. This discovery  emboldened the Police teams to intensify their search, rescue and arrest operation in the located area which consequently culminated in the release of the victims.

“The efforts of the Police and vigilante teams led to the  recovery of the victims vehicle, arrest of three (3) male suspects Abubakar Ibrahim ‘M’,

Mamud Ibrahim ‘M’, Muhamed Kiri ‘M’ and one female suspect named Abibatu Jimoh ‘f’ who was discovered to be the supplier of Gari and other food items  with which the victim was fed while under their captivity.

“Investigation into the matter is still ongoing as efforts are still in top gear to arrest the remaining kidnappers.

“The victim has  now been re-united with her family after undergoing medical examination to ascertain the condition of her  health.

“The CP wishes to empathize with the victim and her family over  the unpleasant and traumatic experience during her period with the abductors. He stated that the Police would not relent in its attempt to possibly eradicate crimes and criminality in the State.

“He advised the good people of Kwara state to be vigilant and conscious of happenings around them at all times and to  monitor the activities of strange faces patronizing them especially those in the business of selling stable and quick/easy to consume  meals to avoid innocently feeding victims of abductions in their area.

“The CP confirmed that the suspects arrested in the matter would be charged to Court as soon as investigation into the case in concluded.”