Police arrest 3 suspected kidnappers, recover firearms in Oyo community
By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 3 suspected kidnappers and recovered firearms and ammunition during a co-ordinated security operation in the Ilora area of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.
According to the statement, the operation followed a tip off from a concerned resident who reported suspicious movement of some young men in the Sogidi area of Ilora.
Acting on the information, members of a local vigilante group reportedly intercepted one of the suspects and alerted the police. A joint team of police operatives and vigilantes was subsequently deployed to the scene.
During questioning, the suspect was said to have failed to give a satisfactory account of himself and fled into a nearby bush, abandoning a sack bag.
A search of the bag led to the recovery of 1 dismantled double barrel gun, 1 dismantled single barrel gun, and 6 live cartridges.
Following the discovery, security operatives intensified follow up operations, which led to the arrest of 3 suspects identified as Abdullahi Usman, Aliu Ibrahim, and Seriki Abdullahi Bello, aged 18, 33, and 68 respectively.
The Police said the suspects have been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) for discreet investigation to determine the extent of their involvement and apprehend other fleeing accomplices.
Commenting, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the swift response of the joint security team and praised the vigilance of residents whose timely information aided the operation reaffirming the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and strengthening efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
The Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support security agencies by providing credible information that can aid crime prevention.