Ondo State Police Command has arrested seven suspects, including a commercial motorcyclist, over the abduction of Mr. Omoniyi Samuel, a lecturer at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).
Police spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, said in a statement on Thursday that the arrests followed a discreet, intelligence-led operation that uncovered the coordinated roles played by each suspect.
According to the police, one of the suspects, 45-year-old Benson Alaba of Akungba-Akoko, who often conveyed the lecturer to work, exploited his familiarity with the victim to gather surveillance. On August 4, 2025, he allegedly visited the lecturer’s home under the guise of requesting a handset, paving the way for his accomplices to strike shortly after.
Further investigation revealed that another suspect, 42-year-old Ogungbemi Wasiu of Okeruwa, Ikare, provided the Itel handset used to demand ₦5 million ransom from the victim’s family. Police say Wasiu, who claimed to have lost the phone two days earlier, deliberately failed to report it, aiding the syndicate’s operations.
Five other suspects — Audu Shaibu (25), Ismaila Abdullahi (24), Nuru Bature (18), Usman Baba (20), and Yusuf Muhammed (23), all from Agopanu, Owo — were identified as the armed operatives who carried out the abduction and directly issued ransom threats.
Eyewitnesses confirmed the gang’s coordinated role in the attack, which police described as the work of a well-organised kidnapping network.
The victim, police said, is receiving treatment at the AAUA Health Centre. The command dismissed earlier reports that the suspects were caught while sharing ransom money, clarifying that their arrest was the result of a planned follow-up operation based on credible intelligence.
Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, warned against spreading misinformation that could mislead the public or hamper investigations, urging residents to rely on credible sources. He also pledged continued efforts to track down fleeing accomplices.
The command reaffirmed its determination to dismantle kidnapping syndicates in the state, while commending the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for his strategic support and operational guidance.
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