The Ondo State Police Command has rescued two kidnapped victims and arrested three suspected kidnappers after a gun battle in a forest along the Ifira–Idoani axis of Isua-Akoko, recovering ₦1.5 million suspected ransom proceeds and other items.
The operation, according to the command, followed credible intelligence that a group of suspected kidnappers hiding in the thick forest were planning to emerge to collect ransom from the relatives of their victims.
Acting on the intelligence, operatives of Isua Division, working with personnel of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, and Agbe-Koya, launched a coordinated rescue and ambush operation deep inside the forest on Friday, September 11, 2026.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, on Tuesday.
It was gathered that the security operatives positioned themselves along the suspected route and maintained surveillance for several hours.
The police said at about 11:30 p.m., the suspected kidnappers, numbering about four and allegedly armed with firearms, emerged from the forest.
The suspects reportedly opened fire after sighting the security operatives, prompting the security team to engage them.
The operatives successfully repelled the attack and rescued two victims, identified as Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, unhurt.
During the encounter, the security operatives recovered ₦1.5 million, which the police said was suspected to have been brought by the victims’ relatives as ransom payment.
The suspected kidnappers reportedly sustained gunshot injuries and fled into the forest.
However, sustained follow-up operations and intelligence gathering eventually paid off on Sunday, September 13, when the suspects were sighted along the Idoani Road at about 8:30 p.m.
The statement added that the police arrested three suspects, two of whom had sustained gunshot injuries to their legs during the earlier encounter.
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Abubakar and Oseni Abubakar, all residents of the Akunnu area.
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The two rescued victims subsequently visited the police station and positively identified the three suspects as the men who allegedly abducted them.
A Bajaj motorcycle earlier recovered by the police was also identified by the victims as being connected to the kidnapping operation.
The motorcycle remains in police custody as part of the investigation.
The development represents a major setback for the suspected kidnapping syndicate operating in the forest corridors of Ondo State, particularly as security agencies intensify efforts to deny criminal elements access to forests and other hideouts.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, commended the officers and men of Isua Division, as well as personnel of Amotekun and Agbe-Koya, for their courage, professionalism and effective collaboration during the operation.
Ohagwu has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Akure for discreet investigation.
The police said the investigation would focus on uncovering the wider network behind the operation and arresting other individuals linked to the kidnapping syndicate.
The command reiterated its determination to sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnappers and other violent criminals across the state, while urging residents to continue providing security agencies with credible information on suspicious activities.