Police Arrest Four Kidnap Suspects In Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested four members of a kidnapping syndicate operating in the Ilu-Abo area of Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest was confirmed by the Command’s spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure on Thursday.

According to Jimoh, one of the suspects, identified as Abenaguna Muhammad, was apprehended by residents of the Ilu-Abo community while in possession of suspected criminal charms.

“On Thursday, 29th January 2026, acting on proactive and credible intelligence, vigilant members of the Ilu-Abo community apprehended one Abenaguna Muhammad, male, found in possession of various criminal charms.

“The suspect was immediately handed over to police operatives for discreet investigation,” he stated.

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He explained that further investigation and interrogation of the suspect led to the arrest of three additional members of the syndicate.

“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a kidnapping syndicate operating along the Ala/Ilu-Abo axis and actively involved in the recent violent attack and abduction recorded in that area. He further disclosed that the syndicate was led by one Lanre, popularly known as ‘Lanre Tomato’, alongside two others, Ojo, male, and Pius, male,” Jimoh added.

The police spokesperson recalled that on January 25, 2026, armed men attacked residents of the Ilu-Abo community, shot one person, abducted another, and inflicted injuries on two others, an incident that prompted the launch of intensive security surveillance in the area.

Jimoh said the suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations into the incident are ongoing.