‘Oyo residents exchanged pleasantries with kidnappers’ – Police

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, has revealed that residents of a community in Oluyole Local Government Area allegedly watched suspected kidnappers bring abducted victims into a residential property without reporting the activities to security agencies.

The remarks were disclosed in a post shared on the official page of presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, following the rescue of Mrs. Busayo John-Paul and her twin sons from a kidnapping syndicate in Oyo State.

According to the post, the commissioner spoke while leading journalists to a residential building in Araromi Quarters, Ayegun North, Oluyole Local Government Area, where the victims were allegedly held before their rescue by police operatives.

Olugbenga said preliminary investigations indicated that the location had allegedly been used repeatedly by kidnappers as a hideout for abducted victims.

According to him, some residents in the area reportedly observed suspicious movements around the property but failed to alert security agencies.

“They have been bringing the abductees here. They bring them here, and people see them. Some even greet them and say ‘welcome.’ When people see such things and don’t speak up, what do you expect us to do?” The commissioner queried.

He added that early reports from residents could have enabled security operatives to intervene before the situation escalated.

“If suspicious activities like this had been reported, none of this would have happened. We would have taken the necessary steps in good time,” he stated.

The police commissioner stressed that tackling kidnapping, banditry and other security threats requires cooperation between security agencies and members of the public.

According to the post, he urged residents to promptly report unusual movements and suspicious activities within their communities to relevant authorities.