Men of the Ondo State police command have arrested suspected kidnappers on the wanted list and motorcyclists who transported food to the kidnappers’ den and acted as spies to them.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi said the command also arrested some teenagers who served as agents for the suspected kidnappers.
Speaking on the arrest made in the state troubled by the activities of kidnappers in recent times, Afolabi said seven suspected kidnappers, including a 19 year Umar Isyaku, in possession of N3.5 million believed to be ransom paid by the family of their victims, were nabbed.
The Police Boss said that the 19-year-old Ishaku was arrested alongside one Ridwan Salisu, aged 45, at Ipele in connection with a case of kidnapping. He said the suspects were arrested on the 14th of March, 2025, through coordinated intelligence-led Policing.
His words “The sum of ₦3.6m was found in possession of the duo. Salisu claimed the money was for POS. The investigation is ongoing to confirm if the money is a proceeds of ransom paid by victims.”
Afolabi said another wanted suspected kidnapper, Abdullahi Mallam, aged 21, has been apprehended by the Police and local Vigilantes at Owo.
According to him, “Mallam is part of the syndicate of Ibrahim Dan Alh Umaru that was arrested earlier in the year, and his name reoccurred in kidnapping-related cases. Also, on the 22nd of February, 2025, the Police (Special Squad), through the use of technical support, arrested one Komolafe Sunday, a.k.a Veego, age 39 years.
“During interrogation, he confessed to being a motorcyclist who helps the kidnappers to get food for their victims while in custody and received money based on the number of people kidnapped.
“He also serves as a spy to inform them of movements along the road. The suspect led the Police to Akunu-Akoko, and two suspects, Umaru Abubakar Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, were arrested; Umaru Abubakar confessed to being the one who guarded victims in the forest when they were brought to the base.”
Afolabi said further interrogation led to the arrest of Lekan Temitope, a.k.a legelege, who is also a motorcyclist who works for the kidnappers.
The Commissioner of Police said as part of the Command’s effort to rid the State of all forms of criminality, four suspected cult members were arrested in Ondo town through the Special Anti-Cultism Squad.
The Police Boss said the police squad raided their hideout and arrested Awosika Babajide age 28 years (Eiye Cult), Michael Peter 18 years (Eiye Cult), Kunle Akinwande age 28 years (Ave Cult), and Akintemi Akinwunmiju age 30 years (AvehCult), According to him “They all confessed to being a member of the cult group indicated against their names.
Afolabi said that an Ex-convict, Samuel Friday, was arrested by members of the public vandalizing a transformer along the Ilu-Abo, Ogbese area of the state, on March 14.
He noted that the suspect, “during interrogation, confessed to having been vandalizing the electrical transformer since 2016 and that he had been jailed three times before he was finally released in 2018.
The commissioner, who said that police detectives would soon arrest the named receivers, added that all the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of their investigations.
Echezona Okafor.
