Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Ondo police nab suspected kidnappers, rescue three victims

Mr Jimoh said the arrest followed the circulation of CCTV footage on social media.

• March 22, 2026
Enugu State police
Police Officers used to illustrate the story (Photo Credit: PRNigeria)

The police command in Ondo State says it arrested three suspects and rescued three victims in connection with an alleged kidnapping incident in Oda community, Akure South Local Government Area.

DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the command’s spokesperson, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Akure, explaining that the suspects were captured on a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera.

Mr Jimoh said the arrest followed the circulation of CCTV footage on social media showing the abduction of a victim by suspected criminals in Oda Area of Akure.

“Upon receiving the footage, the command immediately activated its intelligence team, leveraging digital surveillance analysis and coordinated field operations to identify and apprehend the suspects.

“Acting on credible intelligence and investigative leads derived from the footage, operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad carried out targeted operations, which led to the arrest of one of the suspects.

“During interrogation, the suspect provided useful information that led to the subsequent arrest of two other accomplices believed to have played active roles in the incident and who were also captured on the CCTV footage.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects played various roles in the commission of the alleged kidnapping.

“The arrested suspects are identified as: Mohammed Koro, ‘m’, aged 27 years; Muhammad Usman, ‘m’, aged 30 years; and Musa Alhaji, ‘m’, aged 23 years,” he said.

The spokesperson, however, said operational efforts culminated in the successful rescue of the three victims, who were debriefed and taken to the nearest hospital for medical attention.

According to him, the suspects have made useful confessional statements, which are aiding ongoing efforts to ensure the arrest of other syndicate members.

Mr Jimoh, therefore, said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The spokesperson also said the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Adebowale Lawal, reiterated the command’s unwavering commitment to combating crime and criminality, emphasising that Ondo would not serve as a safe haven for criminals.

“The CP warned that regardless of where suspects choose to hide, they will be relentlessly tracked down and made to face the full weight of the law.

“He also reassures residents that the command remains fully committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.

“Lawal urged the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the police with credible and actionable information that can aid ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements,” he said.

Mr Jimoh, therefore, encouraged residents to remain calm and go about their lawful activities, assuring that proactive measures were in place to prevent and combat all forms of criminality within the state. 

(NAN) 

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Gov Ododo

States

Tinubu advised me never to negotiate with criminals, Gov Ododo says

“I don’t play with criminals, and I don’t negotiate with them. I can tell you that, as far as Kogi State is concerned, we don’t have a department for ransom payment,” he said.

Pete Hegseth

Heading 1

U.S. has spent $37.5 billion on Iran war: Hegseth

“The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion,” Mr Hegseth said.

Toba Ajiboye

Lagos

Slain Lagos NURTW organising secretary buried amid tears

Mr Ajiboye died days after he was attacked by gunmen.

Migrants' boat

Africa

144 refugees, migrants dead, missing off Mauritania coast: UNHCR

“The refugees and migrants were reported dead or missing after attempting the perilous sea journey from West Africa towards Europe,” the agency said.

Daniel Ortega and Marco Rubio

World

U.S. govt condemns Ortega’s ban on elections in Nicaragua 

Mr Rubio urged the international community to rise against Mr Ortega’s dictatorship.

Oleksandr Syrskyi

World

Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s top general after firing defence minister

Mr Syrskyi’s dismissal came days after Mr Zelensky fired Ukraine’s defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, a decision that sparked protests across the country.