Kwara Police Arrest Four Over Criminal Conspiracy, Extortion, and Kidnap Threats

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested four suspects for their alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy, extortion, and kidnapping threats. According to a statement by the command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the suspects—Tukur Muhammad, Yahaya Abdullahi, Umar Sanni, and Dairu Isiaku—were apprehended following intelligence-led operations. On January 15, 2025, a resident of Ajuba Fulani Camp, Ilesha Baruba, discovered a white paper at his doorstep containing two phone numbers. Upon calling one of the numbers, the caller threatened to kidnap him and his family unless he paid a N20 million ransom, which was later reduced to N4 million. The victim reported the case to the police, leading to the arrest of Muhammad and Abdullahi. During interrogation, both suspects confessed to placing their contact details at the victim’s residence to extort ransom money. Further investigations revealed that the suspects had been using multiple phone numbers to threaten and extort victims. They have since been charged to court and remanded in custody. In a separate case, Sanni and Isiaku were arrested for attempting to extort N5 million from victims through a kidnap plot. On January 9, 2025, police operatives in Ifelodun LGA acted on reports from individuals who received threatening calls and messages demanding ransom. Intelligence tracking led to the arrest of Sanni in Niger State, whose confession resulted in the capture of Isiaku in Kwara State. Both suspects admitted to providing victims’ phone numbers and issuing extortion threats. Commending the swift police action, Commissioner of Police Victor Olaiya reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating crime and ensuring public safety.