Osun Police Record Fresh Gains Against Kidnappers, Cultists
By Joy Onu
The Osun State Police Command has intensified its offensive against violent crime, recording fresh successes in separate operations that led to the rescue of a kidnapped herder, the recovery of more than N2.2 million believed to be ransom money, and the arrest of suspected kidnappers, cultists and other criminal suspects.
In a statement issued from his office on Wednesday, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, said the recent breakthroughs reflected the Command’s renewed strategy of combining intelligence gathering, surveillance and rapid tactical response to tackle insecurity across the state.
According to the commissioner, one of the operations resulted in the rescue of 50-year-old Haruna Yusuf, who was abducted on July 9 from a settlement near Wasinmi Village along the Gbongan-Ife-Ibadan Road.
He said detectives from the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit launched an intelligence-led investigation that tracked the kidnappers to a designated ransom collection point at Majeroku along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway.
Gotan said the operation culminated on July 12 when police operatives stormed the location, rescued the victim unharmed and foiled the ransom collection.
He said the kidnappers opened fire in a bid to escape, prompting a gun duel during which one suspect, identified as Usman Aliyu, was arrested with gunshot injuries while other members of the gang fled.
Police also recovered N2,217,800, believed to be ransom proceeds, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
In a separate operation, intelligence gathered on the activities of suspected cult members in Iree led operatives to three young men alleged to be involved in cult-related and ritual activities.
The suspects were identified as Michael Oluwatobi, Busayo Joseph and Abu Azeez. Police said a small coffin and locally made charms were recovered during the operation and would form part of ongoing investigations into the suspects’ alleged activities.
The commissioner said detectives had been directed to expand the investigation to uncover other members of the group and determine the full extent of their involvement in criminal activities.
Gotan also said that police had arrested another suspect, Buhari Mutari, in Oyo State over an attempted kidnap at Ijebu-Jesa in May. He said the arrest followed intelligence analysis after the alleged principal suspect, Umaru Adamu, had earlier been apprehended in connection with the case.
The Command also arrested eight suspects during raids on identified black spots across the state for offences including stealing, unlawful possession of substances suspected to be Indian hemp and hooliganism.
The commissioner said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the completion of investigations.
He assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes, urging members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
“Our determination is to ensure that criminal elements have no room to operate anywhere in Osun State,” the commissioner said.
