Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of two boys, aged five and ten, in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State. Police also recovered N251,000 believed to be proceeds from the ransom paid for the boys’ release.
Read more: Police in Ondo Arrest Five for Kidnapping Two Children, Recover RansomAccording to DSP Abayomi Jimoh, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, the arrests followed a report made on May 12 at around 9:00 a.m. by Andrew Yohana, a resident of the Jerry Sawmill area in Ore. Yohana reported that his sons, Jehu (10) and Yohana (5), were abducted by unknown persons while on their way to school.
Upon receiving the report, police detectives immediately began an intensive investigation, visiting the scene and utilizing technical intelligence and tracking analysis. Their efforts led to the identification and arrest of two suspects, Taofeek Lukman (23) and Blessing Saturday (27), in the Alaba area of Ore.
During the investigation, officers recovered N251,000 suspected to be ransom proceeds from the suspects. Further inquiries led to another hideout linked to Blessing Saturday, where an unregistered motorcycle believed to have been used in the crime was also recovered.
Additional suspects connected to the kidnapping syndicate were subsequently identified and arrested. Police say efforts are ongoing to track down other fleeing members and recover more evidence related to the case.
The arrested suspects have reportedly confessed to their roles in the abduction and will be charged in court upon conclusion of investigations.
Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, commended the operatives for their professionalism and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating crime in the state.
(NAN)
