The Kwara State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes with the arrest of a suspected kidnap gang leader and the recovery of two AK-47 rifles.
The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police.
According to the statement, operatives of the Okuta Divisional Headquarters, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a group of suspicious persons during a raid operation in the Tabida area of Okuta, Baruten Local Government Area, on June 1, 2026.
The suspects were subsequently transferred to the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for further investigation.
Preliminary findings identified one Umar Abubakar, popularly known as “Manti,” as the alleged leader of a kidnapping syndicate linked to a series of abductions and other violent crimes across parts of Kwara North, including Okuta, Ilesha-Baruba, Tabida/Taberu and neighbouring communities.
The police said intelligence-driven investigations led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles with fully loaded magazines believed to have been used by the gang in carrying out its operations.
The Command described the recovery as a significant disruption of the syndicate’s activities and a major step towards improving security in the affected areas.
Police said the suspects are currently in custody and have been providing useful information to investigators to aid the arrest of other members of the criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police commended officers of the VCRU and other supporting units for their professionalism and commitment, assuring residents that intelligence-led operations have been intensified across strategic locations in the state.
The Command added that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of the probe.
