Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kwara State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping and violent crime, arresting a suspected gang leader and recovering two AK‑47 rifles with fully loaded magazines during an intelligence‑led operation in Baruten Local Government Area. According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire‑Adeyemi, operatives attached to the Okuta Divisional Headquarters, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended a group of suspicious persons during a routine raid in the Tabida area of Okuta, Baruten LGA, on Monday, 1 June 2026. The suspects were subsequently transferred to the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for detailed investigation and profiling.
Preliminary investigation by the VCRU identified one Umar Abubakar, alias “Manti”, as the leader of a kidnapping syndicate believed to be responsible for a series of abductions and related violent crimes across parts of Kwara North, particularly around Okuta, Ilesha‑Baruba, Tabida, Taberu and adjoining communities. According to the police, further intelligence‑driven investigation led to the recovery of two AK‑47 rifles with fully loaded magazines that the gang allegedly used to carry out its operations. The recovery, the police said, represents a significant disruption of the group’s operational capability and a major step towards restoring public safety in the affected areas.
A Vanguard report noted that the suspect was arrested alongside three other members of his gang, and that preliminary investigations linked him to several kidnapping incidents in the northern part of the state. The suspects are currently in police custody and are providing investigators with useful information to help identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network. Efforts are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s activities and bring all those connected to the crimes to justice.
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, commended the professionalism, resilience and operational efficiency of the officers of the Violent Crime Response Unit and other supporting formations, whose collaborative efforts led to the success. The command further assured residents that intelligence‑led operations have been intensified across strategic locations, and that all available resources are being deployed to ensure the continued safety of lives and property throughout the state.
As of Thursday, 4 June 2026, the suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue; they will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the probe.
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