Kidnapping: Two victims rescued, three suspects nabbed in Ondo

Acting on information, operatives of the Isua Division of the Ondo State Police Command, working with personnel of the Ondo State Security Network and Agbe-Koya, rescued two kidnap victims and arrested three suspected kidnappers along the Ifira-Idoani axis of Isua-Akoko.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the command’s spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh.

According to the statement, the operation began on Friday, September 11, 2026, following credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers were preparing to emerge from the forest to collect the ransom over their operations.

After the security operatives maintained surveillance for several hours, about four armed suspects emerged from the forest at about 11.30pm.

The suspects opened fire on sighting the operatives, leading to an exchange of gunfire, during which the security team tactically repelled the attack and rescued the two victims, identified as Mr Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, unhurt.

The security operatives also recovered N1.5 million suspected to have been brought for ransom payment, with the suspects reportedly sustaining gunshot injuries before escaping into the forest.

According to the report, a follow-up operation and further intelligence led to the arrest of the three suspects, when they were sighted along Idoani Road at about 8.30pm on Sunday, September 13, two of them with gunshot injuries to their legs.

The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Abubakar and Oseni Abubakar, all male residents of the Akunnu area.

The rescued victims later appeared at the police station and positively identified the three suspects as the men who abducted them, along with a Bajaj motorcycle earlier recovered by the police as being connected with the criminal operation.

While commending officers and men of the Isua Division as well as personnel of Amotekun and Agbe-Koya for their courage, professionalism and collaboration in rescuing the victims and arresting the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Akure, for discreet investigation aimed at uncovering the entire criminal network and bringing all those connected with the operation to justice.

He then reaffirmed the determination of the command to deny criminals access to forests and other hideouts across the state, saying it would sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnappers and other criminal elements.