Police arrest two kidnappers in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command said it had arrested two men allegedly involved in kidnapping at Molege community in Owo Local Government Area of the state.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, on Sunday.

According to the statement, the suspects belonged to a kidnapping syndicate that had been terrorising communities in the area.

The statement read, “The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate in connection with the kidnap of one Abubakar Abdullahim, male, at Molege, via Owo, Ondo State, on 1st of August, 2026.

“The arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated operations by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Akure.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives proceeded to Oyo State, where they worked in collaboration with the Oyo State Police Command and arrested one Adamu Rabiu, male, adult, in Ibadan.

“In a related development, the second suspect, Haruna Likita, male, adult, was arrested around Ipele, via Owo, Ondo State, in connection with the same kidnapping incident.”

The PPRO said preliminary investigations had established links between the two suspects and the kidnapping of Abubakar Abdullahim.

“During interrogation, both suspects made statements admitting their alleged involvement in the crime. Their statements, alongside other emerging intelligence, are being further investigated to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and identify other persons who may be connected to the crime.

“The command is also intensifying efforts to uncover the wider network and operational structure of the syndicate, with a view to apprehending all those involved,” he added.

Jimoh noted that the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation, while efforts were ongoing to pursue “all credible leads and deploy intelligence-driven strategies to dismantle kidnapping networks and prevent criminal elements from finding refuge within Ondo State.”

The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Mr Felix Ohagwu, urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely and credible information to the police and other relevant security agencies.