Police foil alleged kidnap plot, arrest two suspects in Ekiti
By Boye Oyeyemi
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers and cattle rustlers after foiling an alleged kidnap plot during an intelligence-led operation along the Are–Afao Road/Ayede-Ekiti axis.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Sunday Abutu, said in a statement on Tuesday that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, in collaboration with officers from the Ayede-Ekiti Divisional Police Headquarters and local vigilantes, carried out the operation at about 1 p.m. on Saturday.
According to Abutu, the suspects, identified as 23-year-old Mumini Muhammed and 22-year-old Kehinde Oseni, were apprehended before they could allegedly execute a plan to abduct a resident of Ayede-Ekiti.
Preliminary investigations, he said, indicated that the suspects had concluded arrangements for the kidnapping before security operatives intercepted them through intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance.
The police further alleged that the suspects were arrested while attempting to sell two stolen cows for ₦1.5 million, with the proceeds allegedly intended to finance the planned abduction.
Abutu said the suspects had confessed during interrogation and provided information that was assisting investigators in tracking other members of the criminal gang. He added that efforts were ongoing to recover firearms and other weapons believed to be in the possession of the fleeing suspects.
The spokesperson disclosed that the stolen cattle had been identified and returned to their rightful owner. He added that the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Reacting to the operation, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, CP Micheal Falade, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing aimed at combating kidnapping and other violent crimes. He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to strengthen efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
