Ondo Police Smash 10-Man Kidnap Gang, Recover ₦5m Fresh Ransom After High-Stakes Forest Raid

The Ondo State Police Command has sent a clear message to bandits: the “State of Harmony” is not for sale. In a major tactical victory on Tuesday, February 24, police operatives successfully dismantled a notorious 10-man kidnapping syndicate that had turned the Ose-Akoko axis into a “danger zone” for travelers.

The breakthrough came after a grueling 48-hour manhunt following the abduction of a local businessman. In a daring raid on the gang’s forest hideout, the police didn’t just rescue the captives they also managed to intercept the criminals before they could “launder” or share the ₦5 million ransom that had been delivered by the victims’ families earlier that morning.

“This was a precision-guided operation,” stated Commissioner of Police Adebowale Lawal during the parade of the suspects in Akure. “We tracked them using advanced intelligence and moved in at the exact moment the exchange was being finalized. To recover such a large sum of ransom intact is a testament to the vigilance and speed of our officers.”

The 10 suspects, who are currently singing like canaries in police custody, were found with an arsenal that included three AK-47 rifles and several locally made charms meant to “evade arrest.” According to the Command, the group operated a sophisticated relay system, using “scouts” at major road junctions to tip off the gunmen in the bushes whenever a “high-value target” approached.

While the rescued victims are now safe and undergoing trauma counseling, the Commissioner issued a stern warning to other criminal elements. He noted that the Command has intensified its “forest saturation” strategy, ensuring that no inch of Ondo’s terrain remains a safe haven for kidnappers. For the families who got their money back, the Tuesday morning raid was nothing short of a miracle.