'I got only N300k from kidnapped school girls' - Leader of Babington School abductors

The man who allegedly led a gang of kidnappers to abduct three female students of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, on Monday, February 29,

Also Read: "KIDNAP!: Gunmen abduct 3 female students in Lagos school"

Confessing that he was actually the one who coordinated the abduction of the girls, the 37-year-old Sylva, an indigene of Delta State, also stated that he also coordinated the kidnap of a Chinese construction manager in the Igando area of the state, and got N250,000 for his efforts.

Sylva, also known as Tradition, was arrested by the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad at a hideout in the Arepo area of Ogun State on Saturday, June 11.

Recall that it was reported that 15 gunmen had attacked the school at about 8:30pm, firing gunshots in the air, and succeeded in abducting three young school girls, Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoola and Deborah Akinayo, and taken in a canoe through the Majidun area to a creek.

Few weeks later, three members of the gang, Emmanuel Arigidi, Akanji Sheu and James Henry, were arrested while Sylva, whom they all fingered as the leader, was declared wanted by the police.

Speaking while being paraded, the kingpin opened up:

“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."

Also Read: "Lagos Schoolgirls' Kidnap": Principal reveals details of abduction of 3 students

"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.”