The Ogun State Police Command says it has arrested a kidnap syndicate made up of seven members of the same family and one other person.

In a statement on Friday, the state police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspects were arrested over their alleged involvement in the kidnap of eight persons in Sagamu.

Oyeyemi said the five members were arrested in Sagamu, while the other three were arrested in Delta state.

The Police PRO added arrested alongside the suspects is one Christian Ishaha who had accommodated them.

He said Oweniwe Okpara from Delta State and three of his children, Samson Okpara, Bright Okpara and Eze Okpara were arrested in Ajaka area of Sagamu.

“In compliance with the CP’s directive, the DPO of Sagamu division, CSP Okiki Agunbiade, and his crack detectives with the support of Sagamu security council under the Akarigbo of Remoland, embarked on intelligence and technical-based investigation, which led to the arrest of one Oweniwe Okpara from Delta state and three of his children namely; Samson Okpara, Bright Okpara and Eze Okpara as well as one Christian Ishaha, who accommodated them,” Oyeyemi said.

“They were all arrested in Ajaka area of Sagamu for their roles in the kidnap of eight persons at different times in Sagamu and other areas.

“In the course of investigation, it was discovered that three other members of the family constituting the criminal gang namely; Godwin Okpara, Godspower Okpara and Mathew Okpara, are the armed squad of the syndicate, while Samson, Bright and Eze Okpara were the ones spying on their targeted victims.

“One Emmanuel Joseph, a native of Ebele in Edo State was later recruited into the fold, having confronted their sister, Eze Okpara, to tell him the source of money they used to count every day. They subsequently opened up to him that they are into kidnapping business, and he also joined them.

“Having heard about the arrest of their father and their three siblings, Godwin, Godspower and Mathew Okpara took to flight and ran to Delta state with their operational car and their arms, where they were subsequently apprehended by the Delta state police command, after carrying out another kidnapping there.

“Their camp, located at a forest in Ayepe-Ijebu where their father used to farm before converting it to a camp, was located by policemen led by the DPO Sagamu and subsequently destroyed. Items recovered at the camp include: three expended cartridges, cooking gas, tarpaulin, cooking utensils, women bags, and twine.”