Authorities apprehend four individuals allegedly connected to abduction incident in Ondo

Nigeria's Ondo State police have apprehended four individuals suspected of involvement in a violent incident on Liberty Avenue in Ilu-Abo, which resulted in the death of a resident and the abduction of a woman.

n

These suspects were taken into custody by the Ondo State Police Command's operatives, who had received intelligence suggesting the individuals were staying at a hotel located behind Ado Garage in Akure.

n

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this information in a statement released on Friday, explaining that the operation was a collaborative effort between the command's tactical teams and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps.

n

The arrests are connected to a January 26 attack on Liberty Avenue in Ilu-Abo, where one John Ofuduwa lost his life and Oladeinde Tomilola was kidnapped, only to be released later.

n

According to Jimoh, the police command, led by Commissioner of Police Adebowale Lawal, made the arrests following receipt of credible intelligence, with the suspects identified as 20-year-old Abdullahi Ismaila, 25-year-old Babanyara Japi, 25-year-old Babuga Abubakar, and 15-year-old Adama Usman.

n

During the operation, the suspects were found to be in possession of ₦1,400,000, which is believed to be proceeds from their kidnapping activities.

n

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspects admitted to being part of a criminal syndicate operating in the Eleyowo, Ilu-Abo, and Ogbese areas.

n

The police also reported that the abducted victim, Oladeinde Tomilola, was able to identify the suspects and has expressed gratitude to the police for their efforts in apprehending them.

n

The command is continuing its investigation to determine the suspects' involvement in other criminal activities and is working to track down other members of the criminal network.

n

Additionally, efforts are underway to establish whether the suspects are connected to other previously reported kidnapping incidents in the state.

n

Commissioner of Police Adebowale Lawal has reaffirmed the command's commitment to tackling kidnapping, robbery, and other violent crimes across the state.