By The Ondo State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate operating in Ore and surrounding communities, recovering ransom proceeds and a motorcycle allegedly used for the crime.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the arrests followed the abduction of two children, Jehu, 10, and Yohana, 5, who were reportedly kidnapped on their way to school in the Jerry Sawmill Area of Ore on May 12, 2026.
The police said the children’s father, Andrew Yohana, reported the incident to the Command at about 9:00 a.m., prompting operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad to commence intelligence-driven investigations
The statement noted that detectives deployed technical intelligence, tracking analysis and coordinated investigative efforts, which led to the identification and arrest of two suspects, Taofeek Lukman, 23, and Blessing Saturday, 27, in the Alaba Area of Ore.
“During the operation, the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Naira (₦251,000), reasonably suspected to be proceeds from the ransom collected from the family before the victims’ release, was recovered from the suspects,” the statement read.
Police further disclosed that operatives later raided another hideout linked to one of the suspects, where an unregistered lady motorcycle allegedly used in carrying out the kidnapping operation was recovered.
The Command added that further investigation led to the identification of three additional suspects linked to the syndicate, namely Peter Moses, 25, Sunday Isaac, 23, and Sanusi Dan Asabe, 37.
According to the police, the arrested suspects are cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
“Meanwhile the arrested suspects have made confessional statements detailing the roles they played in the kidnap and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation,” the statement added.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, commended the operatives for what he described as a professional and intelligence-led operation that resulted in the breakthrough.
The police reiterated their commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state while urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
