Kwara Police Foil Alleged N22m Kidnap Plot, Arrest Two Togolese Nationals

Kwara State Police Command has foiled an alleged kidnapping and extortion plot, arresting two foreign nationals accused of threatening to abduct a resident unless a ₦22 million ransom was paid.

The Command said the suspects, identified as Yakubu Ismaila and Hadiza Kosia, both nationals of the Republic of Togo, were apprehended following an intelligence-led operation coordinated with the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the operation was triggered by a complaint lodged at the Okuta Police Division by one S. Ismaila of Okuta.

The complainant reportedly told police that he had received a series of anonymous telephone calls demanding the payment of ₦22 million to prevent his planned abduction. The caller allegedly threatened to kidnap him and kill his younger brother, Musa Ismaila, if the demand was not met.

The police said operatives immediately deployed intelligence-driven strategies and, with technical support, tracked the suspects to their location, leading to their arrest.

Preliminary investigations, according to the Command, linked the two suspects to the alleged criminal conspiracy.

The statement added that during interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to their involvement in the attempted kidnapping and extortion scheme. A mobile phone believed to have been used to make the threatening calls was also recovered and has been retained by the police as an exhibit.

Commending the officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Ojo Adekimi, praised their professionalism, swift response and coordinated efforts, noting that their actions prevented what could have escalated into a serious security incident.

The Commissioner reiterated the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and sustained efforts to track down all criminal elements operating within or seeking to infiltrate Kwara State.

He also disclosed that investigations have been intensified to identify and apprehend other suspected members of the criminal network for prosecution.

The Police Command urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely, credible and actionable information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to maintaining peace and security across the state.