Law enforcement thwarts abduction plan, apprehends pair of suspects in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has successfully thwarted a planned kidnapping operation in Ayede Ekiti, located in the Oye Local Government Area of the state, with the arrest of two suspects in connection with the plot.

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According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, the suspects were apprehended while attempting to sell stolen cows, with the intention of using the proceeds to finance the planned kidnapping.

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The incident occurred on Saturday, July 4, 2026, and was made public by Abutu in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday.

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Abutu revealed that the operation was made possible through a credible intelligence-led effort, which led to the arrest of Mumini Muhammed, 23, and Kehinde Oseni, 22, in a forest along the Are–Afao Road/Ayede Ekiti axis at about 1 p.m.

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Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had planned to kidnap a resident of Ayede Ekiti prior to their arrest, and were caught while trying to sell two stolen cows for ₦1.5 million to fund the kidnapping.

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During the investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime and provided other useful information, with efforts currently underway to apprehend other gang members and recover their firearms and weapons.

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The suspects will be charged in court once the investigation is concluded, according to Abutu.

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The owner of the stolen cows has been identified and has taken possession of the animals, Abutu stated.

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The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, has reaffirmed the command's commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations against kidnapping and other violent crimes, according to Abutu.

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Eribo urged residents to remain law-abiding and continue to support the police by providing timely and credible information to aid efforts to combat crime and criminality across the state.