Kwara: Hijab-Wearing Suspect, Two Others Arrested Over Kidnappings

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly linked to multiple abductions across the state, including a suspect intercepted while wearing a hijab and carrying charms.

The command said the first suspect, identified as Aliyu Isiaka, was arrested by a team of Forest Guards led by Jebrin Adam at Okolowo, Ilorin, on October 24, 2026, at about 6pm.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ilorin on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Isiaka, a resident of Ga’a-Kpapa village in Moro Local Government Area of the state, was intercepted while disguised in female attire and carrying a polythene bag containing assorted charms.

The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation to being a member of a nine-man kidnapping syndicate allegedly led by a man identified as Juli, who resides at Fulani Camp, Ga’a-Kpapa, and is currently at large.

Isiaka reportedly told investigators that he was recruited into the gang in August 2026 and had participated in three kidnapping operations at Oloru, Alapa and Malete, where substantial ransom payments were allegedly collected.

The command said a joint team of police personnel and Forest Guards subsequently raided the suspected kidnappers’ camp on October 25, leading to the arrest of two additional suspects identified as Seriki and Jebrin.

The arrests brought the total number of suspects apprehended in connection with the alleged kidnapping network to three, while efforts were ongoing to track down other members of the gang.

The police said the suspects were undergoing further investigation and would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the process.

The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, described the operation as a significant step towards dismantling kidnapping networks and restoring security in vulnerable communities across the state.

Adekimi reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led operations, collaboration with other security agencies and intensified efforts to apprehend criminal suspects.

The command said the operations were in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to combat criminal activities and protect lives and property across the country.