IT was a well planned and executed job that left a bitter taste in the mouth of its victims. However, the aftermath brought the joy of a would be couple temporarily to an abrupt end. Ayebameru and Olanike were billed to tie the knot the next day but the bride-to-be ended up in the kidnappers den where she cooled her heels for six days when she should have been on her honeymoon.
The wedding had to be put on hold by families of the bride and groom following the ugly incident. Despite the fact that the news of the abduction of the would-be bride went viral, some relations and well wishers, who were not privy to the ugly incident were taken aback. Vanguard gathered that a couple who are members of a gang acted as informants to three other members of the gang, who carried out the nefarious act on the would-be bride, on the eve of her wedding.
Interestingly, the five-member gang aside abducting the bride along Okitipupa/Ikoya road area of Ondo State also abducted two Catholic reverend sisters and their drivers along Ore/ Shagamu express way, Onipesi, area of the state. The rescued reverend sisters are Apo Perpetual and Roseline Familade while their driver was referred to as Zwugwa Zibai.
The nuns were on their way to Ogun State when the unfortunate incident happened. However, one of the gang members named Ayodeji, said to be physically handicapped was allegedly an informant, while the wife, Adebimpe was their armorer. Police report had it that the bride was abducted in front of her house located at Mama Nigeria street, Ayeka via Okitipupa on a Friday together with her son and taken to an unknown destination until she was rescued a week after. Police sources hinted that the bride who had gone for shopping with her son in her Space Wagon car ahead of the wedding was double crossed by the kidnapper. Vanguard gathered that the groom (Ayebameru Agbeye ) who was informed by the parents of the bride reported the incident to the Okitipupa police divisional station and was referred to the anti-cult squad of the state command. The son and a Mitsubushi SpaceWagon car were later abandoned by the kidnappers to avoid being traced by security operatives, who were on their trail. Vanguard gathered that the anti-cult squad of the Ondo State Police Command after six days busted the syndicate and effected the release of the bride.
The wedding, according to sources has since been put on hold after the temporary setback. One of the suspected kidnappers, Phillip Ezekiel, who spoke with Vanguard when they were paraded confessed that their leader Ufoma Godwin, coordinated all the activities of the gang. Godwin is currently hospitalized following injuries he sustained during a gun battle with detectives. Phillip said that the couple within the gang provided information on would-be victims while the wife (Adebimpe) keeps the weapon used during their operations. According to him, the gang preferred abducting females just as he confessed that they have, March this year, abducted five women including the two catholic reverend sisters.
Share from the ransom Others kidnapped, according to him, include one Seun Fanegan, who was abducted in front of Mama Nigeria street, Ayeka via Okitipupa, while Ayewalehinmi Blessing was whisked away from her residence at No 2 Ifedayo Street, Okitipupa. Phillips while speaking with newsmen said N50,000 was given to him as his share from the N200,000 ransom collected from the family of one of their victims.
Speaking with Vanguard, the Ondo State Police Commissioner, Hilda Harrison said that the kidnappers would be charged to court after thorough investigations adding that all the suspects have confessed to the crimes. Efforts, according to her, are in top gear to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.