The Ondo State police have arrested five persons in connection with the kidnap of Mafe Ibrahim, the mother of Jimoh Ibrahim. According to an assistant commissioner of police who prefers anonymity, the suspects were arrested in the environs of Igbotako and are helping the police in their investigations. The police officer told NEXT that the kidnap was not politically motivated.
The state police command had recently announced that the case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Playing politics with the kidnap
While the PDP, Mr Ibrahim’s party alleged that the ruling Labour Party was behind the abduction, the state government advised Mr Ibrahim and his party men to look within themselves for the kidnappers.
The state government through the commissioner for information, Ranti Akerele, accused Mr Ibrahim of “playing politics” with the kidnap of his mother.
The commissioner faulted Mr Ibrahim’s account of the kidnap saying, “Ibrahim presented the case as if the kidnap was masterminded and executed by the state government, hence his demand for the declaration for a state of emergency in the state.” Mr Akerele added, “the security agencies that have already been drafted to effect the release of this woman should look beyond the ordinary and search the confines of Jimoh Ibrahim’s household.
“They should look among his political associates who seem to be rejoicing at the sad development and his myriad of business associates.
“It is the height of immorality for anybody to think of scoring cheap political goals with the kidnap of a 65-year-old woman.
“If a beneficiary of the kindness and love of one earlier victim could organise and mastermind the kidnap of his benefactor, who says desperate political rookies cannot plan and execute the kidnap of a poor old woman?” He asked.
The commissioner also noted that the act could be carried out by the PDP, “in order to create a band of phantom stakeholders whose only tangible solution to the incident is to call for a state of emergency in Ondo State.” He said: “With all the powers at the disposal of the peace-loving government of Ondo State, issues of security have been pursued with unprecedented focus since April 2009. Such that in all the reported cases of kidnap, not only have the victims returned to safety but the culprits have been apprehended to the eternal shame of those who cry wolf when there are none.”
They wanted Jimoh out
But the PDP in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, alleged that the Labour Party carried out the act, “to discourage Jimoh Ibrahim from further participating in politics.” Mr Fadaka said, “Our attention has been drawn to the kidnap of Madam Ibrahim, the mother of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim who is a solid pillar of our Party both in this state and nationally. It will be recalled that our state has been going through lots of security challenges in recent weeks and this is occasioned by the garrulity of Labour Party leaders and rank and file whose concept of politicking is to stand the laws on its head and use under the table tactics to secure victory. Their approach so far has led to the death of Emmanuel Adebayo in Ose and scores of brutalised and wounded people across the state. Their latest action is the kidnap of this old woman, this development is not only evil, but sadistic, comprehensively wicked and unacceptable.
“In their imagination it is the needed trump card that is needed to disorientate, disorganise and discourage Jimoh Ibrahim in his quest to join others in leading the party to victory in the forthcoming elections in Ondo State. But we want to assure them that their calculation is not only shallow but will fail to achieve their desired goal.” Mr Fadaka called on the law enforcement agents to treat the matter with urgency, adding that the culprits and their sponsors should be brought to book.
Mr Ibrahim’s mother was kidnapped from her Igbotako home on Sunday evening by four unidentified gunmen. It was gathered that the gunmen arrived at the house, a one-storey building located in the outskirts of the town around 8pm, and pretended to be customers who wanted to buy some locally made mats which the woman was selling.
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