Kwara Police foil kidnapping plot, arrest two foreign Nationals over ₦22m extortion threat

By Ahmed Olayinka

The Kwara State Police Command has foiled a planned kidnapping and extortion attempt, arresting two foreign nationals allegedly involved in a plot to abduct a resident and extort ₦22 million from him, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

The Command disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, saying the operation was carried out in line with the strategic policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu.

According to the statement, the case began after one S. Ismaila of Okuta reported at the Okuta Police Division that he had received a series of threatening phone calls from an anonymous individual demanding ₦22 million to prevent his planned abduction.

The caller allegedly threatened to kidnap the complainant and kill his younger brother, Musa Ismaila, if the ransom demand was not met.

Following the report, police operatives immediately launched an intelligence-led operation in collaboration with the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), using technical support to track the suspects.

The operation led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Yakubu Ismaila and Hadiza Kosia, both citizens of the Republic of Togo.

Police said preliminary investigations linked the suspects to the criminal conspiracy, adding that they confessed to their roles in the attempted kidnapping and extortion during interrogation.

A mobile phone allegedly used to make the threatening calls was recovered from one of the suspects and has been taken into police custody as a key exhibit.

Commending the officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Ojo Adekimi, praised their professionalism, prompt response and coordinated efforts, noting that their swift action prevented what could have escalated into a major security incident.

THE PRIME NEWS reports that the Commissioner reiterated the Command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing and vowed to sustain efforts aimed at identifying and arresting other members of the criminal network.

He also assured residents that investigations are ongoing and that all those connected with the crime would be brought to justice.

The Police Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely, credible and actionable information to security agencies, emphasizing that community cooperation remains vital to maintaining peace and security across Kwara State.