The Kwara State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping, arresting seven suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly responsible for several abductions across different parts of the state.
As reported by NewKwara Media Online, the suspects were apprehended during a series of intelligence-driven operations carried out by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and other security partners.
The operation began on May 28, 2026, following credible intelligence concerning the abduction of a resident in the Agbeyangi area of Ilorin.
Police sources disclosed that the first suspect arrested, identified as Surajo Abubakar, provided crucial information that helped investigators uncover the activities of the criminal network.
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Acting on the fresh intelligence, operatives arrested Umar Yabani, popularly known as “Yabo,” who police identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate. Two other suspects, Isah A. Sule and Umar Sani, were also taken into custody.
During the operation, security operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle and a pump-action gun believed to have been used by the gang.
Investigations further revealed that the suspects were allegedly linked to multiple kidnapping incidents in Ilorin East, Edu, Ifelodun and several neighbouring communities across Kwara State.
In a follow-up operation conducted on June 4, 2026, police operatives, working alongside members of the Forest Guard and local vigilante groups, stormed a forest hideout near Tsaragi where three additional suspects were arrested after days of surveillance.
The suspects were identified as Bello Alhaji Maidabo, 25; Shehu Malami, 23; and Riskuwa Babuga, 18.
Security personnel also recovered a locally fabricated single-barreled gun loaded with two live cartridges during the raid.
According to investigators, the suspects are currently assisting with ongoing investigations by providing information that could help security agencies rescue victims still believed to be in captivity and track down other members of the syndicate who remain on the run.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, CP Adekimi Ojo, said the successful operation demonstrates the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks through intelligence-led policing.
The police commissioner assured residents that efforts would continue to safeguard lives and property across the state, while urging members of the public to support security agencies with timely and credible information.
Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing as security operatives intensify efforts to rescue any remaining victims and apprehend fleeing suspects.
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