The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended five suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate that had been terrorising communities in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects were arrested in connection with the abduction of a man named Timothy in the Mokorede area of Ipapo, with over ₦4.6 million of ransom money recovered from them.
According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, on Saturday, July 5, 2025, the suspects were caught in the act of sharing the ransom proceeds when operatives swooped in on their hideout.
“The arrest was made following credible intelligence and strong collaboration with local security stakeholders. Five members of the gang were nabbed while sharing ransom collected from the victim’s family,” Osifeso disclosed.
The incident that triggered the investigation occurred on June 26, 2025, around 11:00 p.m., when a group of six armed men stormed Timothy’s residence in Ipapo and whisked him away to an undisclosed location. The case was immediately reported to the Ipapo Divisional Police Headquarters.
In response, officers from the division, backed by members of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps), local hunters, and Fulani vigilante groups, launched a coordinated search and rescue operation. Neighbouring police divisions were also alerted to support the efforts.
The breakthrough came on June 30, 2025, when operatives from the Okaka Division, led by their Divisional Police Officer, traced and arrested the suspects in Okaka community while they were allegedly distributing the ransom.
The suspects were identified as, Usman Abubakar (30), Umar Abubakar (21), Abdulkadir Sulaiman (22), Abdullahi Naira (23), Isiaku Saboyaro (30)
“During the operation, a total sum of ₦4,618,700.00, believed to be part of the ransom paid by the victim’s family, was recovered,” the police spokesman added.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to the crime, revealing the roles each of them played in the abduction. They also named their gang leader, one ‘Wetti’, who is currently on the run. Efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.
“We will not relent until every last member of this criminal group is brought to justice. The command is committed to ensuring the safety of all residents,” CSP Osifeso stated.
The police urged members of the public to assist with any useful information that could lead to the capture of the fleeing suspect or help combat other criminal activities in the state.
