Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad under the Ekiti State Police Command have apprehended nine suspected kidnappers during a tactical operation deep within the Ise/Emure Ekiti Forest.
The dense forest, straddling the boundary between Emure-Ekiti in Ekiti State and Emure-Ile in Ondo State, has long been considered a hotspot for criminal activity.
The arrest, which took place around 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, was part of a coordinated bush-combing operation aimed at flushing out criminal elements hiding in the area.
According to security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who shared the development on X on Friday, the suspects were found loitering in the forest without any credible explanation for their presence.
A senior police source, speaking under anonymity, said, “The suspects couldn’t give any convincing reason for being in that location, especially at such a suspicious time. Their arrest is a major breakthrough in our ongoing efforts to curb kidnappings in the region.”
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sanusi Alhaji, Suleiman Ibrahim, Muritala Amodu, Seidu Muhammed, Tairu Amodu, Jibi Alhaji, Saleh Yau, Ibrahim Usman, and Mohammed Yau.
Police authorities confirmed that the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing intense interrogation. Investigations are underway to ascertain their possible connections to recent abduction cases reported within the area and its surroundings.
“We are leaving no stone unturned,” said a spokesperson for the Ekiti State Police Command. “Our goal is to dismantle any kidnapping syndicate operating within or around Ekiti, and this operation has brought us one step closer.”
Residents in the surrounding communities have expressed relief, with some calling for increased surveillance along the forest borders to prevent further criminal infiltration.
