Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kwara State Police Command has recorded a significant operational breakthrough with the arrest of two nationals of the Republic of Togo for their alleged involvement in a kidnap-for-ransom plot targeting a resident of Okuta in Baruten Local Government Area. The suspects, identified as Yakubu Ismaila (male) and Hadiza Kosia (female), were apprehended following an intelligence-driven operation that also led to the recovery of a mobile phone believed to have been used in issuing threatening calls to the intended victim. The command's Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, July 16, 2026, confirming that the suspects had confessed to their involvement in the criminal conspiracy.
According to police sources, the operation followed a distress report lodged at the Okuta Police Division by one S. Ismaila, a resident who alleged that he had received a series of threatening telephone calls from an anonymous caller demanding the sum of ₦22 million to avert his planned abduction. The caller further threatened to kidnap the complainant and murder his younger brother, Musa Ismaila, if the ransom demand was not met. Upon receipt of the report, police operatives immediately activated intelligence-led operational strategies. In collaboration with the Intelligence Response Team and leveraging technical support, operatives swiftly tracked down and arrested the two suspects.
Preliminary investigations revealed that both suspects were directly linked to the alleged criminal conspiracy. During interrogation, they reportedly confessed to their involvement in the attempted kidnapping and extortion plot. A mobile phone allegedly used to issue the threatening calls was recovered from one of the suspects and has been taken into police custody as a critical exhibit. The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, CP Ojo Adekimi, commended the professionalism, prompt response, and coordinated efforts of the operatives, noting that their swift action prevented what could have resulted in a serious security breach.
The police commissioner reaffirmed the command's unwavering commitment to intelligence-led policing and the relentless pursuit of all criminal elements operating within or attempting to infiltrate Kwara State. He further assured residents that investigations had been intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network, who will be brought to justice. The command also urged members of the public to remain security-conscious and continue to provide timely, credible, and actionable information to the police, stressing that public cooperation remains indispensable in sustaining the prevailing peace and security across the state.
The arrest of the two Togolese nationals comes amid growing concerns over the activities of foreign criminal elements exploiting Nigeria's porous borders to perpetrate kidnapping and extortion. The Kwara State Police Command has intensified its intelligence-driven operations across border communities, particularly in Baruten Local Government Area, which shares a boundary with the Republic of Benin. The successful foiling of the kidnap plot in Okuta underscores the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration and technical intelligence in combating transnational crime. Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
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