The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly involved in the abduction of a man at Molege community in Owo Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Adamu Rabiu and Haruna Likita, were arrested in separate operations following intelligence gathered by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Akure.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Jimoh, the suspects were linked to the abduction of one Abubakar Abdullahim, which occurred at Molege, via Owo, on August 1, 2026.
He said the arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated operations by the police anti-kidnapping team.
Jimoh said operatives, acting on credible intelligence, traced one of the suspects to Ibadan, Oyo State, where they worked with the Oyo State Police Command to arrest Rabiu.
In a related operation, the second suspect, Likita, was arrested around Ipele, via Owo, Ondo State, in connection with the same kidnapping incident.
“Preliminary investigations have established links between the two suspects and the kidnapping of Abubakar Abdullahim,” the police spokesman said.
He added that both suspects made statements during interrogation in which they allegedly admitted involvement in the crime.
According to him, the statements, alongside other intelligence gathered by investigators, are being examined to determine the full circumstances surrounding the abduction and identify other individuals who may have participated in the crime.
The command said it was also intensifying efforts to uncover the broader network and operational structure of the suspected syndicate.
Jimoh said the suspects would be charged to court after the completion of the investigation, adding that the police were pursuing other credible leads to apprehend additional members of the network.
He noted that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-driven strategies to dismantle kidnapping networks and prevent criminal elements from using Ondo State as a haven.
The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Felix Ohagwu, urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to the police and other security agencies.
He assured residents that the command would continue to strengthen its efforts to protect communities and disrupt the activities of criminal groups operating across the state.
