Ondo: Police arrest 2 suspected kidnappers, probe syndicate network

The Ondo state Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a kidnap syndicate allegedly involved in the abduction of a man identified as Abubakar Abdullahim at Molege, near Owo, Ondo state.

The suspects, identified as Adamu Rabiu and Haruna Likita, were arrested in separate operations following sustained intelligence gathering by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Akure.

A statement issued Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said Rabiu was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state, in collaboration with the Oyo state Police command.

The second suspect, Likita, was apprehended around Ipele, near Owo, Ondo state, in connection with the same kidnapping incident.

The command said preliminary investigations had established links between the two suspects and the abduction of Abdullahim on August 1, 2026.

Police authorities further stated that both suspects made statements during interrogation admitting their alleged involvement in the crime.

The statements, alongside other intelligence gathered by investigators, are now being subjected to further investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction and identify other persons allegedly connected to the operation.

The police said the investigation had also been expanded to uncover the wider structure and operational network of the suspected kidnapping syndicate.

The command said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the group, as well as dismantle their network and prevent criminal elements from using Ondo state as a safe haven.

The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.