The Kwara State Police Command has successfully thwarted two kidnapping attempts, leading to the arrest of four suspects in the Baruten and Ifelodun Local Government Areas. The arrests were made following intelligence-driven operations carried out by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in collaboration with the State Criminal Investigation Department.
In the first operation, two suspects, Tukur Muhammad and Yahaya Abdullahi, were apprehended in Baruten for attempting to extort ₦4 million from a resident of Ajuba Fulani Camp, Ilesha Baruba. Initially, the suspects had demanded a ransom of ₦20 million, but after negotiations, the victim was coerced into agreeing to ₦4 million.
According to the police statement, on January 15, 2025, the victim discovered a white paper placed at the front door of his residence, which contained two phone numbers. Upon calling one of the numbers, the victim was threatened with kidnapping unless the ransom demand was met. The case was immediately reported to the police, who traced the phone numbers used by the suspects. Through intelligence-led operations, the police tracked down the suspects and arrested them. During interrogation, the suspects admitted to using these contact details to extort money from the victim. Further investigations revealed that the suspects had been using multiple phone numbers to issue threats and target other potential victims.
In a separate operation, the police arrested Umar Sanni and Dairu Isiaku in Ifelodun Local Government Area for attempting to extort ₦5 million from two individuals through threats of kidnapping. The victims had received threatening phone calls and messages demanding the ransom. Following a report on January 9, 2025, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad tracked down and apprehended Sanni, whose arrest led to the capture of Isiaku. The suspects confessed to using multiple phone numbers to contact and extort money from their targets.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, commended the officers for their swift response and reiterated the police command’s commitment to combating criminal activities in the state. The four suspects have been charged in court and remanded in a federal correctional facility.
This action is part of ongoing efforts by the Kwara State Police Command to curb kidnapping and extortion in the region. The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement.
