The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, has identified the growing involvement of informants and the recruitment of local youths by criminal gangs as key factors fueling the rising cases of kidnapping in the state.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ilorin on Friday, Ojo said the kidnappers have devised new strategies, luring young boys with money and promises of quick gains to help them identify potential victims.
“Yes, definitely, they entice them. They have cheap money to give. That’s what they do — they promise, they give, they entice,” Ojo said. “We discovered that most of the problems security agents have in Kwara is that there are too many informants for the kidnappers.”
The police chief expressed concern that families of kidnap victims often refuse to report incidents to the authorities, fearing the abductors’ threats. He noted that such silence hinders police efforts to track and apprehend kidnappers using advanced digital surveillance systems.
“When your ward is in the hand of kidnappers, they threaten that if you tell the police, they will kill the victim. Because of that, many people secretly pay ransom instead of informing us,” Ojo explained. “We are encouraging people to speak out. That’s the only way we can win this battle.”
Ojo assured residents that the command is intensifying its fight against banditry and kidnappings, pledging to “fight them to a standstill.”
He commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for supporting security operations in the state.
“The governor is doing everything possible to stop this menace. He’s so concerned and has been giving us all the needed support,” he added.
The Commissioner also disclosed that six suspects had been arrested in connection with the recent deadly invasion of Oke-Ode community, where 12 people, including a village head, were killed.
In another incident, Ojo said police operatives tracked and arrested one Sanni Gbadamosi in Kano after he allegedly masterminded the abduction of his cousin in Ajase-Ipo and demanded ₦120,000 ransom.
He further revealed that a motorcycle mechanic, Muhammadu Jalo, was in custody for allegedly beheading his customer during an argument in Bode Sadu, while a 15-year-old boy, Falade Ebenezer, was arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl.
“All the suspects have confessed to their crimes and will soon be charged to court after investigations,” Ojo stated.
The police boss also confirmed that normalcy had returned to crisis-hit communities such as Oke-Ode and Babanla following the deployment of more security personnel.
“Today is market day in Oke-Ode, and the market was full. A whole brigade is on ground, and people are returning home. The communities are now vigilant, and someone was even arrested in the market today because of suspicious movements,” he said.
Ojo urged residents to remain alert, cooperate with security agencies, and report suspicious activities promptly, stressing that community vigilance remains vital to ending the wave of abductions in Kwara.
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