Four bodies dumped in septic tank by kidnappers recovered (photos)

Four bodies dumped inside septic tanks at Ikorodu by suspected kidnappers have been exhumed, the police said on Thursday.

The bodies included those of two Bureau De Change (BDC) operators- Alhaji Yakubu Musa and Alhaji Hassan Umaru- killed by kidnappers after their abduction on April 14 and two others said to be suspected cultists.

The operators were lured by the kidnappers who had contacted them that they had a relation who just returned from overseas and wanted to change $10,000.

The Nation had reported the arrest of three members of the syndicate that killed the BDC operators after allegedly collecting N1.6 million from them.

The suspects identified as Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, 40, Mayowa Olawuni alias General and Babatunde Idris (Aloma) upon arrest, confessed to have tied the mouth of the BDC operators, killed them and dumped their bodies in a septic tank to cover their tracks.

According to a statement Thursday evening by spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), their bodies and two others were recovered from the tanks for autopsy.

Giving details on the incident, Elkana said:

“They initially requested that payment will be made in a bank at Ikorodu but on getting to the bank, the suspects moved the operators to an unknown destination and started demanding for ransom from their friends and relatives.

“Despite paying the sum of N1.6 million as ransom, the abductors refused to release the victims and nothing more was heard from them.  The victims phones remained switched off.

“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State Zubairu Muazu detailed the Commander, Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) to carry out an indepth investigation into the matter with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the suspects.

“Operatives from SARS Ipakodo base led by SP Godfrey Soriwei arrested three suspects namely Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, 40, Mayowa Olawuni a.k.a General and Babatunde Idris a.k.a Aloma. The suspects confessed to the commission of the crime and led operatives to their den at Ikorodu where they dumped the corpses in a septic tank.

“Two locally made single barrel guns with five live cartridges, a locally made gun with three ammunition, one locally made revolver pistol with three live ammunition, a cutlass, an axe and some charms were recovered from them.

“Investigation revealed that the suspects had at various times used the abandoned company as their den, where all their targets are killed and dumped in the sceptic tank. As part of the investigation, four decomposed bodies were today (Thursday) May 9, recovered from the septic tank for autopsy.

“The suspects confessed to have killed the other two rival cult members and dumped them in the septic tank before killing the two BDC operators.

“They are currently assisting the police in the arrest of the other fleeing members of the gang. Investigation is ongoing, suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.”