The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspected kidnappers and rescued two victims during an operation in Isua-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state.
The command also said ₦1.5m suspected ransom was recovered during the operation carried out in collaboration with the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, and local hunters.
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Abubakar and Oseni Abubakar, all residents of Akunnu in Akoko North-East Local Government Area.
The police said the operation began on Friday, September 11, 2026, following intelligence that suspected kidnappers hiding in a forest along the Ifira-Idoani axis were planning to emerge and collect ransom.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Jimoh, operatives from the Isua Division, working with Amotekun personnel and members of Agbe-Koya, launched a coordinated rescue and ambush operation deep inside the forest.
The security teams reportedly positioned themselves along a suspected route and maintained surveillance for several hours before the suspected kidnappers emerged.
Jimoh said about four suspected kidnappers, who were allegedly armed with firearms, appeared from the forest at about 11:30pm.
“On sighting the security operatives, they opened fire, prompting the security team to tactically repel the attack and rescue the two victims, Mr Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, unhurt,” he said.
The police spokesperson said the two rescued victims later reported at the police station, where they allegedly identified the three arrested suspects as the men who abducted them.
The command also said a Bajaj motorcycle previously recovered by the police was identified by the victims as being connected to the alleged kidnapping operation.
The motorcycle has been retained in police custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
The police said the successful operation represented a significant development in efforts to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes in Ondo State.
Following the arrests, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, ordered the case to be transferred to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Akure for further investigation.
The squad is expected to investigate the alleged kidnapping operation and establish whether other individuals were involved.
The police said the investigation would focus on uncovering the wider network all
