The police in Ondo State have arrested a suspected kidnapping ringleader, Abdullahi Lawal, in Aderoju Camp, Ugbe-Akoko, within the Akoko area of the state.
Spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday in Akure, the state capital.
According to Jimoh, the suspect was apprehended after months of intelligence gathering and coordinated operations by security operatives.
The police said Lawal had been identified as the mastermind behind the kidnapping of Aremu Tijani, which occurred on August 18, 2025, at the victim’s bush farm in the Ikare-Akoko axis.
“Following sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated operational strategies, operatives of the Command have successfully arrested Abdullahi Lawal of Aderoju Camp, Ugbe-Akoko Town, who has been identified as the mastermind of a kidnapping incident involving one Aremu Tijani,” Jimoh said.
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The police spokesperson explained that security operatives had earlier engaged members of the gang in a tactical operation shortly after the kidnapping incident.
The operation led to the neutralisation of three members of the criminal gang and the arrest of four other suspects.
However, Lawal reportedly escaped during the encounter despite sustaining gunshot injuries from the exchange with police operatives.
Jimoh said detectives later intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations to track the suspect’s movements and possible hideouts.
“After months of sustained intelligence-led operations and coordinated efforts by security personnel, the suspect was successfully apprehended by police operatives in Ikare-Akoko,” he added.
The police spokesperson said the suspect has made useful confessional statements and will be charged in court.
