Magodo traditional ruler kidnapped over leadership tussle, family names suspect

The wife and entire family of Chief Yusuf Ogundare, the Baale of Sangisha, Magodo, Lagos State, has said his abduction is connected with the rivalry between him and another traditional ruler in the community, Oba Jamiu Lawal.

Lawal, however, refuted the allegation, saying he had no hands in the kidnap of the 46-year-old, which occurred on Wednesday.

It was learnt that the baale was in his car going to visit a community leader, identified as Baba Ade Iga, in company with his younger brother when he received a call.

The caller was said to have asked him to come to a restaurant at the CMD area to discuss a land transaction, which made him to take a detour and head for the restaurant.

The brother, who did not want his name in print, told PUNCH Metro that they met with three men in the restaurant and the suspects requested that he (brother) should be excused from the meeting.

He said the baale granted the request and after a brief discussion, they asked to be led to Magodo, where the piece of land was.

The brother said, “They asked us to leave our car and join them in a Toyota Venza they brought. Baale sat at the back between the two of them, while I sat in the front. We were about to leave, when I saw a pump-action gun beside the driver.

“I raised the alarm and struggled for the steering with him. He parked and pushed me out of the car. They linked Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and zoomed off. I don’t know them, but I can recognise them. The incident happened around 11.15am.”

The victim’s wife, Adebisi Ogundare, alleged that his life had been under threat since Lawal was installed as a traditional ruler of the community a few months ago.

Adebisi stated that the abductors had yet to establish contact with the family, urging the police to go after the mastermind of the incident.

She said, “My husband is the only paramount ruler recognised in the community. But sometime in April, Jamiu Lawal declared himself the ruler. The last time we were in court, somebody from his camp said my husband would soon be abducted. We reported at the Lagos State Police Command and zone 2. They said investigation was ongoing.”

However, Lawal denied  his alleged involvement in Yusuf’s abduction, adding that he had several court rulings that pronounced him as the ruler of the community

He said, “I don’t know anything about his abduction. Both of us were invited for a meeting to resolve the issues in Alausa, Ikeja. The meeting was slated for 4pm yesterday (Wednesday).

“I have been crowned and given a certificate by the government. The matter went through a tribunal and a high court and I won. We were invited by the police from zone 2 and I tendered all the documents. I have no hands in his abduction.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, in a statement said investigations had commenced.

The statement read in part, “On July 5, 2017, at about 1.30pm, one Mohammed Adams  reported to the police that at about 12pm of the same date, he accompanied his brother, named Yusuf Ogundare, the Baale of Shangisha, to CMD Guest House, Shangisha, after he was invited on the telephone by some men who wanted to buy a piece of land.

“He stated further that while taking the men to Shangisha inside the buyer’s Toyota Venza for the inspection of the land, they discovered that three of the men were armed.

“On getting to Domino’s Pizza Junction, along the CMD Road, Shangisha, the brother was left by the roadside, while his brother was taken away to an unknown destination. Effort to reach him on the telephone proved abortive.

“Reporting the incident, he suspected one Jamiu Lawal of Lawal Street, Oregun, and Saliu Akanni, as the masterminds of the act due to the long feud and protracted dispute between the suspects and the Baale of Shangisha on baale’s title.

“Effort is being made to arrest those mentioned, while the tracking of other hoodlums has been initiated.”