The Ondo State Police Command has detained and charged two suspected masterminds of a kidnapping ring believed to be responsible for multiple abductions in the state.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who said the breakthrough followed sustained intelligence-led operations under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal.
“After a series of coordinated and intelligence-driven efforts, operatives of the command arrested and successfully prosecuted two suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate,” the statement said.
The suspects, Bello Denge, aged 30, and Umar Isah, 25, were reportedly identified by no fewer than nine victims during a formal identification exercise at the command headquarters.
“The victims separately pointed to the suspects as active participants in several kidnapping incidents that have affected different communities,” the police added.
Preliminary findings linked the suspects to abductions carried out in Iluabo, Eleyowo, Iju-Itaogbolu and Pelebe, where residents, particularly farmers, were frequently targeted.
“Their operations instilled fear among residents and disrupted economic activities in the affected areas,” the statement noted.
According to the police, the suspects were arraigned in court on April 30, 2026, on charges bordering on kidnapping and other violent offences, and have since been remanded at the Olokuta correctional facility.
“This action reflects our resolve to ensure that suspects are not only apprehended but also made to face the full weight of the law,” the command stated.
The police further assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large, urging residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies with useful information.
“We will continue to intensify operations against criminal elements and encourage the public to provide timely and credible intelligence,” the statement added.
