​‘I Was Under a Spell,’ Says Arrested Bandit Leader Behind Oyo Children’s Kidnap

​IBADAN – In a dramatic turn of events, a suspected bandit leader, Umaru Usman, has claimed he was acting under a spiritual spell when he led a heavily armed gang to kidnap two children in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State.

​Usman (25) was paraded alongside three other members of his syndicate following a fierce gun battle with a joint security team deep within the Oyo forests.

​The Invasion of Ebinpejo Village

​The crisis began on Friday, June 27, 2026, when a terror gang wielding light and heavy weaponry launched a ruthless assault on Ebinpejo Village, a rural community near Lanlate in the Ibarapa East Local Government Area.

​The invaders left several residents wounded and plundered valuable household items before seizing two young children. The bandits then retreated into the thick, surrounding forests, using the minor hostages as human shields.

​A Coordinated Forest Rescue

​Following distress calls from the traumatized community, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, issued an immediate directive to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Lanlate. A high-powered, joint rescue operation was quickly assembled, combining police operatives, the Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes, and hunters.

​Leveraging advanced technical resources and local intelligence, the tracking team successfully pin-pointed the bandits’ hidden camp.

​According to State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the criminals immediately opened fire upon noticing the advancing security forces.

​“The operatives responded professionally, overpowering the criminals and forcing them to flee in different directions,” the PPRO confirmed.

​During the intense gun duel, Usman was shot and captured at the scene. Three mobile phones and operational items were recovered, while the two abducted children were rescued completely unhurt.

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​The Arrest of Collaborators

​Determined to dismantle the entire network, security operatives launched immediate follow-up operations. In the early hours of Saturday, June 28, a second suspect, Abdullahi Ahmed (28), was tracked down and arrested. Like his leader, Ahmed was found harboring severe gunshot wounds sustained during the previous day’s shootout and was rushed to the hospital under heavy police guard.

​Subsequent investigations yielded more breakthroughs. Sunday Idowu (30), identified as a critical local collaborator, was arrested for allegedly providing vital logistical and intelligence support to the syndicate from within the community.

​Additionally, the police nabbed Muhammed Ibrahim Shina, who investigators established had traveled all the way from Ilorin, Kwara State, specifically to participate in the high-stakes abduction.

​‘It Wasn’t My Fault’

​While in custody, the gang leader, Usman, offered a bizarre defense for the violent raid, claiming that a supernatural spell had compromised his free will and driven him to execute the crime.

​Oyo State Police Command has dismissed the spiritual defense, emphasizing that the suspects will face the full weight of the law as soon as investigations are concluded and they are certified medically fit to stand trial.