The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two men suspected to be members of a kidnapping gang operating around Molege in Owo Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Adamu Rabiu and Haruna Likita, were arrested during separate operations following intelligence gathered by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the arrests were linked to the abduction of Abubakar Abdullahim at Molege, near Owo, on August 1, 2026.
Jimoh said operatives, acting on intelligence, traced one of the suspects to Ibadan, Oyo State, where he was arrested with the assistance of the Oyo State Police Command.
He said, “Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives proceeded to Oyo State, where they worked in collaboration with the Oyo State Police Command and arrested one Adamu Rabiu.”
According to the police spokesperson, the second suspect, Haruna Likita, was subsequently apprehended around Ipele, along the Owo axis, in connection with the same kidnapping case.
Jimoh said preliminary investigations had uncovered links between the two suspects and the abduction.
He added that the suspects had allegedly made statements during interrogation, while investigators were working to determine the extent of their involvement and identify other members of the syndicate.
“During interrogation, both suspects made statements admitting their alleged involvement in the crime. Their statements, alongside other emerging intelligence, are being further investigated,” he said.
The police spokesperson stated that the command was also working to uncover the wider structure of the alleged kidnapping network and arrest other individuals connected to it.
He said the suspects would be prosecuted after the conclusion of investigations, adding that the command would continue to pursue intelligence-led operations against kidnapping gangs in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Felix Ohagwu, urged residents to remain alert and promptly report suspicious activities to the police and other security agencies.
The command assured residents that it would continue its efforts to dismantle criminal networks and prevent kidnappers from using Ondo State as a safe haven.
