Metro
Why I Kidnapped House of Reps Member – Suspect
An information technology expert, Cyril Isong, has been apprehended by the police for the alleged abduction of a House of Representative member.
Isong, who lived in Abuja, reportedly connived with others at large to lure the lawmaker to a short let apartment in Asokoro, Abuja, with a woman and held him hostage afterwards, dispossessing him of $2,000 and N65,000.
City Round learnt that Isong was tracked down recently in Akwa Ibom by operatives of Force Intelligence Response Team led by DCP Tunji Disu following a petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, by the lawmaker.
The victim was said to have alleged in the petition that on August 4, 2020, he received a call from an unknown caller who introduced himself as Sani and claimed to be a former National Assembly member.
The rep alleged that he directed Sani to his house in Abuja but the caller gave an excuse he had been rendered immobile by the illness and appealed to the lawmaker to come to his apartment in Asokoro.
On getting to the short let facility, the victim reportedly met two men who introduced themselves as Sani’s brothers. He was said to have been attacked immediately he was ushered in, blindfolded and tied up.
“They collected $2,000 and N65,000 found on him. They searched his car and took all his valuables. They demanded a number to call for a ransom. He begged them and they freed him. He reported the incident at the Asokoro Police Station. Luckily on August 31, 2021 Isong was arrested in his state in Akwa Ibom.” a police source said.
Isong, 36, claimed he read chats between his wife and the lawmaker on the former’s phone, adding that the wife broke up with him when he confronted her about her relationship with the rep.
He said, “I studied Information Technology and got married in 2017. The first two years of our marriage were beautiful and we travelled across the world for business and pleasure. I thought our marriage was made in heaven until the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed everything. We lost many goods and we were indebted.
“Suddenly I noticed that my wife started locking her phones and as a computer guru, I was able to tap into her line and started reading her discussion with various men. I was frustrated reading how she begged them for money. The honourable (lawmaker) was one of such persons. He even visited our house pretending to be a family friend. It was his visit that led to the final break-up of my marriage because I confronted my wife and she got angry and left.”
Isong said he organised the kidnapping to ‘deal with’ the lawmaker and involved some cult members he knew while in the university.
He stated, “They were the ones who arranged one beautiful lady who spoke to him through a video call. The apartment is a short let in an estate in Asokoro and it’s N80,000 per night. On the agreed date, the honourable came; we grabbed him and tied him up. I did not speak throughout because he might recognise my voice.
“We collected all the valuables and cash found on him and inside his car. He refused to call his family for more money, rather he asked for our account number. I knew that he wanted to set a trap for us so we decided to leave him and run. We didn’t beat him. I travelled back to Akwa Ibom since I could no longer afford to pay rent in Abuja. It was when I entered a bank to open an account that the police arrested me.”
Isong stated that he had also defrauded two other victims using tricks similar to the one deployed against the lawmaker.
He said, “One of the victims was Tania who ran a restaurant. We were friends but when my wife left, we started dating. She closed down her restaurant and I helped her to sell the valuables. I kept N300,000 and promised to give her but failed.
“She kept disturbing me and I knew that I would not pay because I was indebted. She is rich but refused to let go. I called her with an unknown number and introduced educational tourism to her in case she wanted her daughter to study abroad. We lured her into an apartment and collected N80,000 cash from her.’’
He stated that the third person was her sister-in-law who he invited to the Asokoro apartment under false pretences.
He added, “When she arrived, I tied her up. We saw a lot of money in her dollar account but to withdraw. It was hard. We just took the N500,000 cash found on her and disappeared.”
A prominent Lagos hotelier, Otunba Kunle Akinyele, tragically passed away on Saturday after collapsing during a church thanksgiving service held in honour of his wife’s 60th birthday.
The incident occurred at Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Iyanu, Odemuyiwa District Headquarters, Egbeda, Lagos State, leaving family, friends, and well-wishers in deep shock.
In a now-viral video shared on Facebook by Ayoade Ojeniyi on Sunday, the late businessman appeared visibly distressed, gesturing frantically—apparently requesting water or an inhaler—moments before slumping while delivering his testimony.
The thanksgiving service had been organised to celebrate his wife, Deaconess Catherine Adejoke Akinyele, with a grand reception scheduled to follow immediately after at Noble Castle Events Centre, Igando.
However, those plans were abruptly halted when news broke that Akinyele had collapsed in church. Despite frantic efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
One of the event vendors, who shared their experience via Facebook, said they had arrived at the reception venue as early as 10 am for the party, which was set to commence by 2pm.
The vendor wrote: “The celebrant, her husband, their children, and guests had all gone to church for the thanksgiving, intending to proceed to the reception afterwards. Varieties of foods were ready, decoration set, cocktails, emu oguro, and more. The live band had already mounted about 25 speakers. This is how people die? I can’t even think of asking for my balance for the job.”
The distinguished Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, His Excellency, Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, has extended warm congratulations to Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
In a heartfelt message, Senator Daniel praised Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing for his outstanding dedication and immense contributions to the Nigerian housing sector. He described the celebrant as a shining example in the business community, whose passion and commitment have left an indelible mark on the real estate industry across Nigeria.
“You are indeed a source of inspiration to your generation and a shining example within the business environment. There is no doubt that you had written your name in an indelible ink across Nigeria and most especially among the real estate developers,” he wrote.
Senator Daniel also acknowledged Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing’s conferment as the ‘Otun-Asiwaju of Remo Christians’ by the Ogun State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as a reflection of his God-fearing nature, philanthropic spirit, and commitment to humanity.
The senator offered prayers for good health, greater accomplishments, and many more remarkable years ahead for the business mogul.
He concluded by affirming his highest regards and admiration for the celebrant.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has directed Commanding Officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country. This is in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 16th to 23 April, 2024.
According to the Operation Order, obtained by the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the objectives of the special operations are reduction in road traffic crashes, road traffic fatalities and road traffic Injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
To this end, the Corps would carryout aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 Mobile Courts operations, with the aim of checking the following offences:
Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking,
b. Lane indiscipline/Route violation,
c. Road Obstructions,
d. Use of Phone while Driving,
e. Overloading,
f. Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations,
g. Passenger’s Manifest Violation,
h. Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles,
i. Latching and Twist-Locks Violation,
To achieve the aforementioned, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
Furthermore, reflective jackets, traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
Added to the above is, a total of 23 Help Areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period. This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support. The Corps Marshal identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and
Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, he expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management.
Expectedly, with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the Corps Marshal is confident that the celebration would be a huge success.
While reassuring the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads, the Corps Marshal also wishes all Nigerians safe and peaceful Easter celebrations.
