Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The operation began with a single piece of intelligence: a group of suspected kidnappers hiding in the thick forest along the Ifira–Idoani axis were preparing to emerge and collect a ransom. Acting on that information, operatives of the Isua Division, in collaboration with personnel of the Ondo State Security Network, Amotekun, and the Agbe-Koya vigilante group, moved into the forest. They took strategic positions along the suspected route and waited. For hours, they maintained surveillance in the dark, knowing that the men they were hunting were armed and dangerous. At about 11:30 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026, four armed suspects emerged from the forest. They walked straight into the ambush.
The kidnappers opened fire the moment they sighted the security operatives. The security team responded with superior firepower, and a fierce gun battle erupted in the darkness. When the shooting stopped, two kidnapped victims, Mr Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, were free and unharmed. The kidnappers had fled into the forest, some of them wounded, leaving behind a bag containing N1.5 million, the ransom they had come to collect. It was a decisive victory, but the operation was far from over. The suspects were still out there, wounded and desperate, and the police were not about to let them disappear.
Two days later, on Sunday, September 13, at about 8:30 p.m., the suspects were sighted along Idoani Road. Operatives mobilised immediately. This time, there was no escape. Three members of the gang were arrested, two of them with gunshot wounds to their legs, injuries sustained during the earlier ambush. They were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Abubakar, and Oseni Abubakar, all residents of the Akunnu area. The two rescued victims later appeared at the police station and positively identified the three suspects as the men who had abducted them. The victims also identified a Bajaj motorcycle that had been recovered by the police as being connected to the criminal operation, and the vehicle was retained as an exhibit.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Felix Ohagwu, commended the officers and men of the Isua Division, along with the Amotekun and Agbe-Koya personnel, for their courage, professionalism, and cooperation during the operation. He ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Akure for a discreet investigation aimed at uncovering the wider network behind the crime and bringing all those involved to justice. The command reaffirmed its determination to deny criminals access to forests and other hideouts across the state, assuring residents that intelligence-led operations against kidnappers and other violent criminals would be sustained.
The rescue of Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada is a significant success, but it also highlights the persistent threat that kidnapping poses to communities in Ondo State. The Ifira–Idoani axis, like many other forested areas in the state, has become a haven for criminal gangs who exploit the difficult terrain to hold victims and evade capture. The fact that the kidnappers were willing to emerge from the forest to collect a ransom shows how confident they had become, and how lucrative the kidnapping trade has become in the region. But the ambush and the subsequent arrests have sent a clear message: the police are watching, and the forests are no longer safe for criminals.
The operation also underscores the importance of inter-agency collaboration in the fight against kidnapping. The Isua Division did not act alone. It worked with Amotekun and Agbe-Koya, two local security outfits that know the terrain and have the community ties necessary to gather intelligence and track suspects. The success of the operation was the result of that collaboration, and it demonstrates that the police cannot win the fight against kidnapping alone. Community-based security networks, when properly coordinated with the police, can be a force multiplier in the battle against violent crime.
The recovery of the N1.5 million ransom is a particularly satisfying outcome. Ransom payments are the lifeblood of kidnapping gangs. They use the money to buy weapons, pay informants, and fund their operations. Every naira recovered is a naira denied to criminal networks, and the fact that the victims were rescued without the ransom being paid is a significant blow to the gang's finances. The police have not disclosed whether the ransom was recovered from the kidnappers before they fled or whether it was found abandoned at the scene, but either way, the money is now in police custody as evidence.
The rescued victims, Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, have been reunited with their families. Their ordeal is over, but the trauma of being held captive in a forest, not knowing if they would survive, will stay with them for a long time. The police have promised to continue their investigation and to track down the remaining members of the gang, including those who escaped during the ambush. For the people of Isua-Akoko and the surrounding communities, the operation offers a measure of reassurance that the police are taking the kidnapping threat seriously. But it also raises questions about how many other kidnappers are hiding in the forests, waiting for their next opportunity. The police have said they will sustain intelligence-led operations, and the people of Ondo State can only hope that the next ambush will be just as successful as this one.
The Ondo State Police Command has been engaged in a sustained campaign against kidnapping in recent months, with several operations leading to arrests and rescues. The success at Isua-Akoko is the latest in a series of victories, and it reflects a growing determination by the police to take the fight to the kidnappers rather than waiting for them to strike. The command's spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the command would continue to deny criminal elements access to forests and other hideouts within the state. For the men and women who patrol those forests, the message is clear: the criminals may have the advantage of terrain and surprise, but the police have the advantage of intelligence, coordination, and the unwavering support of communities that are tired of living in fear.
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