The Ondo State Police Command has arrested seven suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a staff of the state-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Mr Omoniyi Samuel Eleyemi.
Giving details of how the suspects were arrested, including a motorcycle rider popularly called Okada, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olusola Ayanlade, said the arrests followed a discreet, intelligence-driven operation by operatives of the Command, which uncovered the coordinated roles each suspect played in the crime.
According to him, the investigation established that one of the suspects, Benson Alaba (45 years) of Akungba-Akoko, a commercial motorcyclist who routinely conveyed the victim to his workplace, used his familiarity to spy on the victim’s movements.
Ayanlade said on August 4, 2025, the Okada rider visited the victim’s residence without prior arrangement, under the pretence of requesting a handset.
He said this was later confirmed to be a calculated ploy to study the victim’s activities and create an opening for the syndicate, saying shortly after his departure, other gang members moved in and abducted the lecturer.
Ayanlade said: Further inquiry revealed that Ogungbemi Wasiu (42 years) of Okeruwa, Ikare, provided the Itel handset used to contact the victim’s family to demand a ransom of ₦5,000,000.
Although he claimed the handset was lost on 2nd August 2025, he failed to report the loss to the police, a deliberate omission that aided the criminal enterprise. His role was critical in maintaining communication between the kidnappers and the victim’s relatives, thus facilitating the ransom negotiations.
“The investigation also linked Audu Shaibu (25 years), Ismaila Abdullahi (24 years), Nuru Bature (18 years), Usman Baba (20 years), and Yusuf Muhammed (23 years), all of Agopanu, Owo, to the physical execution of the kidnapping.
“Eyewitness testimony confirmed that these five suspects, acting in concert with Benson Alaba and under the operational facilitation of Ogungbemi Wasiu, participated in forcibly abducting the victim and directly demanding the ransom from the family during the incident.
“The seamless coordination between Benson Alaba’s surveillance, Ogungbemi Wasiu’s communication support, and the aggressive role of the five field operatives clearly points to a well-organised kidnapping syndicate.”
Ayanlade dismissed the report that the suspects were arrested while sharing ransom money. He said r
Their apprehension resulted from carefully coordinated follow-up operations based on credible intelligence, and not during any alleged ransom-sharing activity.
The police spokesman said “While the investigation into this case continues, efforts are being intensified to arrest other fleeing accomplices and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
“The Command remains unwavering in its determination to dismantle kidnapping syndicates and protect the lives and property of all residents in Ondo State.”
Ayanlade added that the victim was receiving medical attention at the Adekunle Ajasin University Health Centre.
