Kwara: Police Foil Kidnap Plot, Arrest Two Togolese Nationals
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State Police Command has foiled a kidnap attempt and an extortion plot in Okuta, Baruten Local Government Area, arresting two nationals of the Republic of Togo for alleged involvement in the crime.
The suspects, identified as Yakubu Ismaila and Hadiza Kosia, were arrested following intelligence-led operations launched after a resident, S. Ismaila, reported receiving repeated telephone threats demanding N22m to prevent his abduction.
According to the police, the caller allegedly threatened to kidnap the complainant and kill his younger brother, Musa Ismaila, if the ransom demand was not met.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said operatives from the Okuta Police Division immediately commenced investigations after receiving the complaint, working in collaboration with the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and deploying technical intelligence to trace those behind the threats.
She said the operation led to the arrest of the two foreign nationals, while a mobile phone allegedly used to make the threatening calls was recovered as an exhibit.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were directly linked to the criminal conspiracy. During interrogation, both suspects confessed to their involvement in the attempted kidnapping and extortion plot,” the statement said.
Commending the officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, CP Ojo Adekimi, praised their professionalism, prompt response and coordinated efforts, noting that their swift intervention prevented what could have developed into a major security incident.
The police commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and vowed that efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected criminal network.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies.
“The Command urges members of the public to remain security conscious and continue to provide timely, credible, and actionable information to the Police, as public cooperation remains indispensable in sustaining the prevailing peace and security across the State,” the statement added.
