A 39-year-old kidnap suspect has confessed as to how he tried to abduct a 4-year-old girl in a church at Ayobo area of Ipaja, Lagos while pretending to be one of the worshippers.
The suspect, Dare Jaccob, was arrested after he was sighted by the girl’s mother while trying to exit the church with the little girl.
The suspect was subsequently handed over to the police at Ipaja Division. He was consequently transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping unit of the command for further investigation.
Initially the suspect alleged that he was only asking for direction from the little girl, but later opened up at the Anti-Kidnapping unit when he was drilled by detectives.
He said: “I lured the little girl to my side with a N50 note. When she got to where I was standing, I handed over the N50 to her with a promise that I will give her more if she follows me. We were about exiting the church when the child’s mother sighted me and raised the alarm. I was later arrested by the security men attached to the church. I told them that was only asking for direction to where I was going to save myself from being lynched”, he said
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who confirmed the arrest, said that a case of attempted kidnapping was reported at Ayobo Division, Lagos by one Ebhoboghe Rufus ‘m’ 39 years against one Jacob Dare ‘m’ aged 28 years Kirikiri town, Lagos. “The complainant stated that while worshiping at Christ Anointed Church, Ayobo, Lagos the said suspect attempted to kidnap his daughter; one Emmanuella Rufus, Age 4 years. He alleged that after church service, the suspect who is not a member of the church was seen making efforts to kidnap his daughter by luring her to follow him with a gift of N50 Note. He added that, on seeing that an alarm was raised by members of the church, he made frantic effort to escape the scene but was apprehended”, Edgal stated
The Lagos State Police boss further said that on receipt of the complaint, the he directed the Anti-Kidnapping squad of the command to take over the case and institute a discreet investigation into the matter.
He said that upon investigation, the suspect, Jacob Dare, who hitherto was pretending to be insane later abandoned his art of trickery and stated that he is of sound mind and he only went to the Church to worship but cunningly defended his act of luring the little girl with a N50 note by claiming that he was only asking for direction from the little girl and her mother.
He said that investigation into the matter was in progress and on conclusion, the suspect will be charged to court accordingly.
