By The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapping kingpin, Abdullahi Lawal, who had been declared wanted in connection with the abduction of a farmer in the Ikare-Akoko area of Ondo State.
The command said the suspect, identified as the mastermind of the kidnapping of Aremu Tijani on August 18, 2025, was apprehended after months of intelligence-led operations and surveillance by police operatives.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the police said Tijani was abducted at his bush farm within the Ikare-Akoko axis before security operatives launched an operation to rescue him and track down members of the gang.
The statement added that during an earlier operation carried out shortly after the incident, police operatives engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle which resulted in the killing of three gang members, while four other suspects were arrested.
According to the command, the gang leader, Lawal, escaped during the operation despite sustaining gunshot injuries and was subsequently placed on an intelligence watchlist while security operatives intensified efforts to track his movements.
Mr. Jimoh said the suspect was eventually arrested in Ikare-Akoko following months of surveillance and coordinated efforts by security personnel.
“The suspect has made useful confessional statements and will be charged to court,” the statement said.
The police reiterated their commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state, urging residents to remain vigilant and provide useful information to security agencies to aid ongoing operations.
