Three remanded in Ondo over alleged kidnapping
By Boye Oyeyemi
An Akure Magistrate’s Court has ordered the remand of three suspected kidnappers at the Olokuta Correctional Centre over the alleged abduction of two children in Ore, Ondo State.
The defendants, identified as Taofeek Lukman, 23, Peter Moses, 25, and Sunday Isaac, 23, were arraigned by the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, on a charge bordering on kidnapping.
Prosecuting counsel, Adebayo Suleiman, told the court that the suspects, alongside other accomplices still at large, allegedly carried out the abduction on May 12, 2026, in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly kidnapped two siblings, Joe Andrew, 10, and Judia Andrew, 5, and subsequently demanded a ransom of N50 million from their family for their release.
Suleiman further alleged that the suspects had received a total of N3.67 million from the ransom demand before they were tracked and apprehended by security operatives.
The prosecutor informed the court that N251,000 was recovered from the defendants during investigations, adding that the alleged offence contravenes Section 8 of the Ondo State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 2006.
He urged the court to remand the defendants pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), while defence counsel, A.T. Shaibu, requested time to file a counter-affidavit on behalf of his clients.
In her ruling, Magistrate Damilola Sekoni granted the prosecution’s request and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre. The case was subsequently adjourned until June 10, 2026, for further proceedings and consideration of the DPP’s legal advice.
