The police command in Kwara says it arrested some suspected kidnappers and cultists in the Ilorin metropolis.

The spokesman for the command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, disclosed this in Ilorin on Thursday while briefing journalists.

He said three out of five suspected kidnappers were arrested by the command’s operatives in conjunction with local vigilantes at the Banni forest in Ilorin.

The suspected kidnappers are Aliyu Abubakar, Aliyu Bingi, Shehu Sanni, Abdullahi Saidu and Bayo Dudu.

He said further that effort was in progress to arrest the fleeing two members of the kidnap gang.

“The search operation led to the arrest of three of the five above-named suspects who confessed during interrogation to be kidnappers and that two of their members by name Bayo Dudu and Aliyu Abubakar, stay in Niger state,” Mr Okasanmi explained. “Their operational weapon, an AK-47 rifle, is in possession of one of the suspects now at large. Effort is still in progress to arrest the remaining members of the kidnap gang.”

In a similar operation, Mr Okasanmi said the anti-kidnapping team, in collaboration with local vigilantes, acting on intelligence, stormed the Eyenkorin forest and succeeded in the arrest of five suspected kidnappers.

The police spokesman gave their names as Abubakar Shehu, Mohammed Aliyu, Yunusa Ahmadu, Malami Usman and Dauda Amosa.

“Investigation into the case revealed that Abubakar Shehu, aka Dogo, and his gang were the kidnappers behind the kidnap of one Alhaji Madaki Shaibu at Ayegun Fulani Camp sometime in January 2023, where the son of the Alhaji was killed,” stated the police officer.

He added, “It was also revealed that Dogo was part of the gang that kidnapped Magistrate Bamigboye also in January 2023. The suspects were also into cow rustling. The vehicle used in the cow stealing has been recovered.”

In another development, the police command said it arrested some secret cult members terrorising Kwara.

“Their names are Habeeb Ayomide, Oni Obasanjo, Mohammed Abdulkareem, Ibrahim Apete, Ajao Musa, Ismail Ayomide, Adebayo Abdulateef and Yusuf Najeem,” Mr Okasanmi revealed.

(NAN)