Kwara Police Arrest Kidnap Gang Leader, Recover 2 AK-47 Rifles

Men of the Kwara State Police Command have arrested a suspected kidnapping gang leader linked to a series of abductions across communities in the northern part of the state, and recovered two AK-47 rifles loaded with ammunition.

The suspect, Umar Abubakar, popularly known as “Manti,” was arrested following intelligence-led operations carried out by the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with operatives from the Okuta Divisional Headquarters.

Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the operation began on June 1, when officers raided suspected criminal hideouts in the Tabida area of Baruten Local Government Area and arrested several suspects.

She said the suspects were later transferred to the VCRU for further investigation, during which Umar Abubakar was identified as the alleged leader of a kidnapping syndicate operating across Kwara North.

“Preliminary investigation by the VCRU led to the identification of one Umar Abubakar, alias ‘Manti’, as the leader of a kidnapping syndicate believed to have been responsible for a series of kidnapping incidents and related violent crimes within parts of Kwara North,” she said.

Ejire-Adeyemi added that follow-up intelligence operations led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles with fully loaded magazines, allegedly used by the gang in its operations.

She described the recovery as a major breakthrough, saying it has significantly disrupted the operational capacity of the criminal network and boosted ongoing efforts to restore security in affected communities.

The police spokesperson confirmed that the suspects remain in custody and are assisting investigators with information aimed at tracking and arresting other members of the syndicate.