The Ondo State Police Command has narrated how Samuel Omoniyi, a lecturer at the Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, was kidnapped recently.
Last week, Mr Omoniyi was kidnapped and forcefully taken away by armed men near his residence at Supare-Akoko while returning from work.
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He has since been freed after a ransom was paid to his abductors.
The police confirmed on Thursday that seven suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.
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Spokesperson of the command, Olayinka Olayande, said the arrests followed a discreet and intelligence-driven operation by operatives of the command, which uncovered the coordinated roles each suspect played in the crime.
“Investigation established that one of the suspects, Benson Alaba (45) of Akungba-Akoko, a commercial motorcyclist who routinely conveyed the victim to his workplace, used his familiarity to spy on the victim’s movements,” he said
“On 4th August 2025, he visited the victim’s residence without prior arrangement, under the pretence of requesting a handset.
“This was later confirmed to be a calculated ploy to study the victim’s activities and create an opening for the syndicate.
“Shortly after his departure, other gang members moved in and abducted the lecturer.”
Mr Ayanlade noted that further inquiry revealed that Ogungbemi Wasiu (42) of Okeruwa, Ikare, provided the Itel handset used to contact the victim’s family to demand a ransom of ₦5 million.
He said that although the suspect claimed the handset was lost on 2 August, he failed to report the loss to the police, a deliberate omission that aided the criminal enterprise.
His role, according to Mr Ayanlade, was critical in maintaining communication between the kidnappers and the victim’s relatives, thus facilitating the ransom negotiations.
“The investigation also linked Audu Shaibu (25 years), Ismaila Abdullahi (24 years), Nuru Bature (18 years), Usman Baba (20 years), and Yusuf Muhammed (23 years), all of Agopanu, Owo, to the physical execution of the kidnapping.
“Eyewitness testimony confirmed that these five suspects, acting in concert with Benson Alaba and under the operational facilitation of Ogungbemi Wasiu, participated in forcibly abducting the victim and directly demanding the ransom from the family during the incident.
“The seamless coordination between Benson Alaba’s surveillance, Ogungbemi Wasiu’s communication support, and the aggressive role of the five field operatives clearly points to a well-organised kidnapping syndicate,” he stated.
The spokesperson said Mr Omoniyi is receiving medical attention at the Adekunle Ajasin University Health Centre.
He added that their apprehension was the result of carefully coordinated follow-up operations based on credible intelligence.
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“While the investigation into this case continues, efforts are being intensified to arrest other fleeing accomplices and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
“The command remains unwavering in its determination to dismantle kidnapping syndicates and protect the lives and property of all residents in Ondo State,” Mr Ayanlade said.
Akungba-Akoko has been in the news for the wrong reasons in recent weeks.
In June, two undergraduate students of he university were kidnapped and later killed by their abductors. In July, the police arrested the culprits and recovered the decaying bodies of the victims.
Also in July, a female student of the same university was found dead in a room of a young man of Akungba Akoko origin. He allegedly murdered her and left her body to decay in his room.
The Student Union Government (SUG) of the AAUA has called for increased security presence in the institution to prevent recurring criminality.
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