Felix Sylva
The gallant Nigerian Police officers in Lagos State has finally arrested a 37-year-old self-confessed kidnapper identified as Felix Sylva, who said he coordinated three kidnap operations, including that of the three schoolgirls of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary in the Ikorodu area.
The Delta State-born kidnapper, Sylva aka Tradition who was arrested by the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at a hideout in the Arepo area of Ogun State on Saturday, confessed that he got N300,000 from the schoolgirls’ abduction and N250,000 from the kidnap of a Chinese construction manager in the Igando area of the state.
It was widely reported that 15 gunmen had on Monday, March 2, 2016, attacked Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS) Ikorodu, at about 8:00pm, firing gunshots in the air during an operation in which three schoolgirls – Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoola and Deborah Akinayo, were abducted and thereafter taken on a canoe by the gunmen through Majidun to a creek.
It was also reported on March 7, 2016, that policemen arrested three members of the gang – Emmanuel Arigidi, Akanji Sheu and James Henry, while Sylva, who was then at large, was identified as the kingpin that negotiated the payment of ransom with the girls’ families.
Speaking with correspondents on Wednesday while being paraded at the state police command headquarters, Ikeja, Sylva confessed to have coordinated three operations, identifying the third as the abduction of a manager of a cement factory.
“Lamiameni and I got the job of the Ikorodu schoolgirls for our gang. There was a third leader, called Millions. In the end, I made N300,000 from the schoolgirls’ abduction. I was a timber dealer in Delta State before coming to Lagos State.
“I stayed in the Majidun area and I have two children. I went with the gang on the day we abducted the schoolgirls. Lamiameni and others held guns. I did not. My role was to talk to the families of the schoolgirls after the whole operation.
“We carried them through the bushes. I did not let anyone rape them. If a gang member should rape any victim, we would kill him. After the Ikorodu incident, I fled to the Igbo Olomu area. It was at Igbo Olomu that I coordinated the kidnap of the Chinese manager. I got N250,000 from that operation.
“I have coordinated only three kidnap operations in Lagos State. The third was at a cement factory. It was Amos (Loko), alias Mosquito, who brought the job of the Chinese man. I was trailed and arrested in the Arepo area. I was with my girlfriend when the policemen came to arrest me. I am called Tradition because my father is an Ijaw herbalist.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the command would not relent in going after criminals, adding that the suspects would be charged to court after investigation had been concluded.