The Ondo State Police Command has announced a significant breakthrough in its fight against criminality, following the arrest of 12 suspects, including four kidnappers, their alleged logistics supplier, and other criminal elements across the state within the past week.
The announcement was made by the State Commissioner of Police, Olukayode Olutokunbo Afolabi, during a media briefing held in Akure, the state capital. According to CP Afolabi, those apprehended include one suspected armed robber, three cultists, and two thieves, all rounded up in targeted operations conducted across multiple flashpoints in the state.
Rescue Operation in Ikare: Kidnap Victim Freed, Suspect Apprehended
One of the highlights of the Command’s operations was a daring midnight rescue mission in the Ikare-Akoko area, where security operatives — in collaboration with local hunters — successfully rescued a kidnap victim, Mr. Ogunniyi Semiu, and apprehended one of the abductors.
The operation, which took place around 12:20 a.m., was the result of actionable intelligence tracking the movement of the kidnappers, who had abducted Semiu on May 14, 2025, and were holding him hostage in a forest near Supare in Akoko North-East LGA. The gang had reportedly demanded a ₦14 million ransom.
Upon interception, the suspects engaged the security team in a fierce gun battle, during which several of the assailants sustained gunshot injuries. One suspect, identified as Babuga Muhammed, a native of Igana, Iseyin, Oyo State, was apprehended and is currently receiving treatment at the State Specialist Hospital under police watch. Fortunately, the victim was rescued unhurt, and no ransom was paid.
A daylight combing operation is ongoing in the forest to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover weapons or other incriminating evidence.
Serial Kidnappers and Logistics Coordinator Arrested
In a related development, police operatives also arrested three suspected kidnappers, including 30-year-old Abubakar Bamoh, said to be a notorious kidnapper and logistics supplier linked to multiple abductions in the Owo/Ose/Akoko corridor.
Bamoh, a native of Bunza LGA in Kebbi State, was arrested at a Fulani camp in Igbara-Oke Mine, following intensive surveillance by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad. Intelligence gathered indicated that Bamoh had provided logistical support in a high-profile kidnapping operation in Osun State, where the victim was moved and held in a forest in Ondo State.
During his arrest, items recovered included a Tecno mobile phone used for coordination and a solar panel, allegedly used to power communication devices in remote hideouts.
Bamoh has reportedly confessed to his involvement and is aiding police investigations into the broader operations of the syndicate. His arrest has triggered a follow-up tactical mission, involving the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Command Surveillance Unit, and Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS) to effect further arrests and possibly rescue more victims.
Police Assure Residents of Safety
Commissioner Afolabi assured the public that the Ondo State Police Command remains committed to eradicating criminal elements from the state and ensuring that residents feel safe in their communities.
“These operations underscore our resolve to clamp down on kidnappers, cultists, and other violent criminals. We are actively dismantling their networks and restoring law and order,” CP Afolabi declared
