The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four workers of a construction company for allegedly abducting their Chinese boss, Hang Kumming, in the Ajah area of the state.
Kumming, who works in GMC Construction Company, Ajah, was abducted at about 5am on Sunday.
It was learnt that the expatriate was returning home from work, when a seven-man gang of gunmen attacked him, beat up his driver and whisked him away in a car.
The case was reported at the Area J Police Command, Ajah, and thereafter transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.
Police operatives on Tuesday were reported to have arrested the four workers – Amos Loko, Adebowale Johnson, Oluwadare Segun and Videgnonz Taiye.
The Chinese was rescued on Wednesday in a hideout in the Igando area of the state and had been reunited with his family.
A police source said the four workers connived with the gang of kidnappers to abduct the victim and share the ransom to be collected from the company.
Speaking at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, Loko, 26, who was a truck driver with the company, said he gave the abductors information on the movement of his boss.
He said, “I started working with the company in 2015. I gave the kidnappers information on my boss because I was with him.
“When they abducted him, they took him inside a bush at the back of my house in Igando. They were seven in number that carried out the operation and they are Ijaw natives. One of the kidnappers, Michael, is my friend and he introduced me to the gang. They were supposed to share the money they collected with me.”
Johnson, 39, an indigene of Ilesa, Osun State, said he was driven by greed.
He said, “I was aware of the plan to kidnap him, but they didn’t tell me when it would be. On Sunday, I was in the car when the kidnappers struck. I didn’t understand what was going on.
“They had weapons and they attacked and injured me; I was admitted in a hospital. It was the same day that I was arrested.
“They didn’t tell me the amount they would collect from him or what they would give me. I regret being part of this. This man trusted me so much; look at the way I have repaid him. My greed got me to this point.”
However, the third suspect, Taiye, a citizen of Benin Republic, who was said to be the driver of the Chinese boss, denied being part of the kidnap scheme, saying they had brought a similar plan to him in 2015 which he rejected.
He said he stopped relating with the suspects after they initially proposed the kidnap plan to him.
“I have been the personal driver of the Chinese for 14 years now. Last year, they wanted me to give them information about when we would withdraw money for our salaries, but I refused. I was at home last Sunday when I heard that he was kidnapped. I don’t know anything about it,” he added.
Segun also denied involvement in the kidnap.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed that the Chinese boss had been rescued, adding that the police were on the trail of the fleeing members of the gang.
She said, “The Chinese has been safely rescued and reunited with his family members. The four workers were arrested as alleged mastermind of the abduction. The police are going after other fleeing members of the gang.”
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