- 7 Suspected Kidnappers Arrested: Police detectives in Ondo State arrested 7 suspected kidnappers, including 19-year-old Umar Isyaku.
- N3.5 million Recovered: Isyaku was found with N3.5 million believed to be ransom paid by families of their victims .
- Multiple Arrests: Other arrested suspects include Abdullahi Mallam, Komolafe Sunday, Umaru Sanda, Yusuf Ahmadu, and Lekan Temitope .
- Cult Members Arrested: 4 suspected cult members, Awosika Babajide, Michael Peter, Kunle Akinwande, and Akintemi Akinwunmiju, were arrested in Ondo town .
- Investigations Ongoing: Investigations are ongoing to confirm if the money found with Isyaku is indeed a ransom payment .
Police detectives in Ondo State have arrested seven suspected kidnappers, including 19-year-old Umar Isyaku, who was found with N3.5 million believed to be ransom paid by families of their victims.
Isyaku was arrested alongside 45-year-old Ridwan Salisu at Ipele on March 14, 2025, in connection with a kidnapping case. The duo had N3.6 million in their possession, which Salisu claimed was for a PoS transaction. However, investigations are ongoing to confirm if the money is indeed a ransom payment ยน.
Further arrests were made, including Abdullahi Mallam, 21, who was apprehended by the Police and local vigilantes at Owo. Mallam is reportedly part of a kidnapping syndicate, and his name had come up in previous kidnapping cases.
Additionally, the Police arrested Komolafe Sunday, a 39-year-old motorcyclist who confessed to helping kidnappers get food for their victims and receiving money based on the number of people kidnapped. Sunday also served as a spy, informing the kidnappers of movements along the road.
The Police also arrested Umaru Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, who were led to by Sunday. Umaru Abubakar confessed to guarding victims in the forest.
Another motorcyclist, Lekan Temitope, was arrested for working with the kidnappers.
In a separate operation, the Police arrested four suspected cult members in Ondo town, including Awosika Babajide, Michael Peter, Kunle Akinwande, and Akintemi Akinwunmiju. All four confessed to being members of the cult groups Eiye and Aveh.
