Friday, February 25 was to be his glorious day. It would have been his day of joy and fulfilment, the day he was to get married to his beautiful fiancée. But that isn’t going to happen, unfortunately. At least, not for now. Ademola Waheed is currently in police custody in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital after allegedly attempting to kidnap his boss and benefactor, Madam Maria Ademokoya for the princely sum of N6million.
Daily Sun learnt that the 32-year-old driver was, until his arrest, preparing for his wedding. Invitation cards had been printed and distributed to guests even as Waheed and his family members were said to have vowed to make the Islamic wedding, Nikkah, the talk of the town.
The young man had served as driver to Madam Ademokoya for over three years, earning a monthly salary of N20, 000. Those close to the family said mama, as the woman is fondly called, had taken Waheed as her own son. The driver too had reportedly been well behaved, until he started making attempts to kidnap his boss.
The reporter learnt that Waheed started showing his other side on Sunday, February 6 when he, using another mobile line, sent the first of several threat text messages to mama, threatening to kidnap her if she failed to release the sum of N6million to him.
His message, as seen by our reporter, reads:
I get your message what we need is five million naira cash if you try us you will see it. Text back.
He was said to have sent six different text messages to threaten his boss to release money. He later switched his attention to mama’s daughter. He also reduced his demand to N1million. A message sent to the lady reads:
You are try us 2much back you love ur grandma give us N1m. dis is last discous 4u pls dnt distop me again.
But the lady didn’t just ignore the threat. She quickly rushed to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Peter Gana, and reported the incident. The police boss subsequently handed over the matter to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
Officer in charge of SARS, Mr. Gbenga Ojo said immediately the case was handed over to his team, they all played along with Waheed.
He explained that the first time they tracked him down was when Waheed was told to come and collect the money. But he apparently grew suspicious and ran away. The suspect later called Kunle, one of mama’s sons, and told him he fled when he saw policemen.
The SARS boss said mama’s daughter later made another arrangement with Waheed. And on Tuesday, February 15, Waheed surfaced as scheduled at the arranged place by the General Post Office around 7.30pm. He reportedly came on a commercial motorbike fully ready to collect a ransom of N500, 000. As soon as he slowed down to pick up the cash, a policeman grabbed him and he fell with the bike. That was when Ojo and his men seized the suspect.
Waheed who is now cooling his heels at the SARS office in Ilorin said it was the devil that pushed him into the dirty deal.
“My kidnapping operation is a one man show,” he confessed. “I was the one who wanted to kidnap my boss, Mama Maria Ademokoya and I demanded the sum of N5m.”
He said he was preparing for his wedding slated for this Friday in Ilorin, adding that his boss had already given him a bag of rice and that she had promised to provide further assistance towards the success of the wedding. He regretted that greed and the devil pushed him to attempt to kidnap his boss in order to get more money.
Asked what he needed the money for, he said: “I wanted to use the money for my wedding as I have owed some people, especially my friends,” he said.
He said further: “I have been threatening my boss. When she didn’t send the money I demanded, I decided to send threat text messages to madam’s three children, her son in Abuja and her two daughters in Ilorin.
“Mama’s daughter, not knowing that I was behind the whole thing, called me to drive mama to her house because some people wanted to kidnap mama. When I got there, I started crying. She told me that I should not tell anybody that mama was in her place. She said we should tell anybody who asked about mama that she was in Abuja.”
He said he later sent a text message to the lady. The message reads: U think we dont know where your grandma is. I tell you dat ur grandma is in ur house for now to know dat our investigation is correct. If u like coprate u dont like dont coprate dis is last test to u.
Waheed said mama’s daughter started negotiating with him and that he told her where he would collect the money.
“I also demanded N50, 000 for my hotel bill. It was around 7.30 pm on February 15, as I was about collecting the money on a bike that the policeman grabbed me. They also pulled down the okada and I was arrested.”
Waheed, who hails from Odo Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, said his parents had visited the SARS office seeking help for his release and pardon. “They have also pleaded with my boss to forgive me to enable me attend my wedding on Friday,” he said.
The victim, Mama Ademokoya said it was a great shock when he discovered that it was her driver who was behind the threat. She said she had been treating her like a son and was surprised that he could behave in such a way.
In an interview with Daily Sun, Waheed’s father said: “I don’t know what to say. We are fully prepared for my son’s wedding and we were shocked to hear that he was arrested for kidnapping.
My son has confessed to us and we saw all the text messages he sent to her boss. But we are pleading with the police and madam to see if he can be released for the wedding. We are really ashamed of his behaviour.”
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Peter Gana said he instructed the family of the victim to play along with the suspect when mama’s daughter came to report the incident. He said his men were able to arrest the suspect as he came to collect the money.
The police boss said he was shocked that it was the driver who was trying to kidnap her boss. “He confessed to us and we are ready to charge him to court, even though he is preparing for his wedding scheduled for Friday in Ilorin,” the commissioner said.
He warned Kwara residents to be vigilant even as he cautioned them against trusting anybody.
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