Police rescue kidnapped victim, arrest 4 suspects in Ondo

The Police Command in Ondo State says it has rescued an abducted lady, Oluwaseun Adebayo, and arrested four suspects connected with the incident in Akure, the state capital.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Akure.

Ayanlade, who said the rescue followed prompt action after an alert from a public-spirited citizen, explained that the incident occurred on November 4 at about 6:30 p.m.

He said subsequent investigations revealed that the victim (Adebayo), was abducted along Weluwelu Street, Ilekun, Oda, in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

“A good Samaritan notified the Police that four young men driving an unregistered Toyota Camry, had forcefully abducted a lady, and were headed towards Shoprite roundabout in Akure.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the command’s personnel immediately mobilised and strategically blocked the suspects’ route.

“They successfully intercepted the vehicle leading to the arrest of all four assailants and the immediate rescue of the victim.

“Meanwhile, the victim was being taken to an unknown destination before the prompt intervention of our operatives,” he said.

Ayanlade explained that the timely coordination between the alert and police response proved pivotal in foiling what could have become another tragic case of abduction.

“In continuation of the investigation, the unregistered Toyota Camry (Muscle Camry) used by the suspects has been recovered as an exhibit.

“Meanwhile, the four suspects remain in custody as discreet inquiries continue to uncover further details surrounding the incident,” the spokesperson said.

He, therefore, said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Adebowale Lawal, commended the professionalism and swift response of his men.

According to him, Adebowale also appreciated the vigilant members of the public whose timely information aided the success of the operation.

Ayanlade said the CP emphasised that such collaboration underscored the growing trust between the police and the people, a key pillar of modern policing.

Online had report that the Ondo State Command on Sunday said it had also arrested 13 persons who were allegedly involved in various criminal activities across the 18 local government areas of the state.

According to the command, the suspects were allegedly involved in crimes such as cultism, armed robbery,  kidnapping, fraud, stealing by conversion, burglary, and stealing among others.

Commissioner Adebowale, who spoke in Akure, said the suspects would be charged in court at the end of the investigations.

He said, “In line with our community-driven and intelligence-led policing model, the command has continued to achieve remarkable successes in the fight against cultism, armed robbery, vehicle theft, fraud, and burglary across the state.

We have 13 suspects, they were arrested across the state, having been involved in cultism, armed robbery,  kidnapping, fraud, stealing by conversion, stealing, burglary, and stealing and stealing by conversion..

“These cases represent a cross-section of the command’s recent achievements in crime prevention, detection, and prosecution. The Ondo State Police Command remains steadfast in its resolve to rid the State of criminal elements and ensure the continued safety of all residents through strategic intelligence gathering, community collaboration, and robust patrol operations.”

(NAN)