BNI Smokes Out Kidnappers

The Bureau of National investigation (BNI), Interpol Ghana and their counterparts in Nigeria have rescued a 12-year old boy, who was kidnapped in Ghana and taken to Nigeria. The victim spent 37 days in the hands of the kidnappers in Lagos and only regained his freedom after the security agents in both Ghana and Nigeria were informed about the incident. So far, a Ghanaian and two Nigerians have been arrested while the third suspect is being sought by the security agents in the two countries. Joseph Nii Ayittey, Ibeh Ikechukwu and Ijeoma are presently in police custody in Nigeria, while Ijeoma Onwuegbule, believed to be the girl friend of Ayittey, is on the run. Enquirer sources at the BNI have it that on July 13, this year, Ayittey clandestinely picked the victim (name withheld), who happens to be his cousin, from his school at Dome, a suburb of Accra. According to the sources, Ayittey, currently domiciled in Nigeria and working as a driver on the Accra-Lagos route, took the victim to Nigeria. The sources said that teachers at his school became agitated after he was not seen for sometime and therefore reported the incident to his father. The sources told The Enquirer that the kidnappers demanded an amount of GH¢50,000.00 from the father of the victim. According to the sources, the victim's father reported the incident to the BNI, which sought the assistance of the Interpol, as required by law. "The kidnappers demanded that the ransom should be paid into the accounts of Ikechukwu in Nigeria," the sources said. Interpol Ghana sent a word to their counterparts in Nigeria, who quickly moved in and arrested the suspects. According to the sources, the arrest of Ikechukwu led to the arrest of Ayittey and Ijeoma, while the fourth suspect, Onwuegbule, managed to escape. On August 16, this year, Interpol Nigeria informed Interpol Ghana about the arrest and the head of Interpol Ghana, ACP Richard Asiamah Amponsah, dispatched Inspector J.K. Tetteh and the father of the victim to Nigeria to bring him back. Efforts are being made to have Ayittey who assumed a new name Joseph Mensah, while in Nigeria, extradited to Ghana. Credit: The Enquirer