The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate while allegedly attempting to withdraw ransom paid in connection with the abduction of three residents of Obudu Village, Ilorin East Local Government Area. The suspect, identified as Muhamodu Sanni, was intercepted at a Point of Sale (POS) outlet following an intelligence-driven investigation into the July 28 attack on the community. The police said the arrest represented a breakthrough in its efforts to dismantle not only the suspected kidnappers but also the financial and logistical networks supporting their operations. According to the Command, three residents were abducted when armed men invaded the community. It said the incident prompted investigators to expand their probe beyond the immediate circumstances of the attack. “Rather than concentrating solely on tracking the abductors, the police investigators began tracing the channels through which the criminal group communicated, moved resources and collected ransom payments,” SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi said in a statement on Wednesday. She said the approach eventually led operatives to Sanni, who was allegedly intercepted while attempting to withdraw money linked to the abduction. The Command said the arrest provided further leads into the structure of the suspected syndicate. “During interrogation, Sanni allegedly provided investigators with information about other members of the group, identifying two suspects simply as Aminu and Umar,” she said. The police said the investigation was being conducted discreetly, with further operational action expected as intelligence obtained from the suspect is analysed and corroborated. The Commissioner of Police in Kwara, Ojo Adekimi, reassured residents that the Command would continue to target criminal networks and their support structures. The CP urged residents to provide timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing and dismantling criminal operations. The Command assured residents that efforts would continue to restrict the activities of criminal elements across Kwara State.
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