The Ondo State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly responsible for abducting two minors in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The police also recovered part of the ransom allegedly collected from the victims’ family as well as a motorcycle believed to have been used during the operation.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Command’s Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad following an intelligence-led investigation into the abduction of two children identified simply as Jehu, 10, and Yohana, 5.
According to the police, the children were kidnapped on May 12, 2026, while on their way to school in the Jerry Sawmill area of Ore.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Akure.
He said the father of the victims, Andrew Yohana, had reported the incident to the police after the children were whisked away by unidentified persons to an unknown destination.
Following the report, detectives reportedly launched an intensive investigation involving technical intelligence, tracking analysis and coordinated surveillance operations, which eventually led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Taofeek Lukman, 23, and Blessing Saturday, 27, in the Alaba area of Ore.
Jimoh said operatives recovered N251,000 suspected to be part of the ransom paid by the family before the children regained freedom.
The police spokesperson added that further investigation led detectives to another hideout linked to one of the suspects, where an unregistered lady motorcycle allegedly used for the crime was recovered.
He disclosed that three additional suspects identified as Peter Moses, 25, Sunday Isaac, 23, and Sanusi Dan Asabe, 37, were subsequently arrested in connection with the kidnapping syndicate.
According to the statement, the suspects had allegedly confessed to their various roles in the crime and would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Felix Ohagwu, commended the operatives for what he described as professionalism and effective intelligence gathering that led to the breakthrough.
Ohagwu reaffirmed the command’s determination to sustain the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
The police commissioner also lauded the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for supporting intelligence-driven policing and strengthening operational capacity across commands nationwide.
He assured residents that the police would continue to intensify efforts aimed at protecting lives and property while urging members of the public to provide timely and credible information to aid security operations in the state.
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