ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA — Detectives from the Ogun State Police Command have pulled the rug from under a major kidnapping syndicate terrorizing the Ijebu axis, following the high-profile arrest of the 67-year-old Seriki Fulani of Ijebu Ode, Abdullahi Muhammadu.
The community leader was apprehended after a tactical raid on his settlement along the Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan Road corridor linked his household directly to recent high-stakes abductions.
The Breakthrough Raid
Acting on actionable intelligence, operatives from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed the settlement in a bid to dismantle a network responsible for a wave of terror across multiple communities, including Atan-Ijebu, Iperin, Imodi, Irewon, Iwode, and Okun Owa.
During a meticulous search of the Seriki’s compound, detectives recovered a black bag inside the kitchen that victims identified as the exact container used to deliver recent ransom payments. Beside the incriminating bag, police recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with live ammunition, a single-barrel gun, multiple mobile phones, and ₦1.5 million in cash, heavily suspected to be fresh proceeds of crime.
A Family Affair: Ex-Convict Son on the Run
Investigation files reveal that the criminal enterprise was allegedly spearheaded by the Seriki’s own flesh and blood. One of his sons, Bala Muhammadu—an ex-convict who previously served a five-year prison sentence for kidnapping—has been named as the prime suspect behind the renewed onslaught in the state.
The raid, however, narrowly missed the primary suspects. Moments before tactical teams could cordon off the area, a child lookout spotted the approaching officers and raised the alarm. Bala and two of his brothers immediately bolted from the compound, successfully escaping through a dense bush path.
While the masterminds fled, the police handcuffed the elderly Seriki and his eldest son, Bello, who are currently undergoing intense interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department.
’I Thought He Had Repented’
Faced with the recovered arms and ransom trail, the elderly traditional leader vehemently denied personal involvement in the regional kidnapping ring. He did, however, concede to knowing his son’s dark past.
”I knew my son was convicted and sent to prison for kidnapping,” Muhammadu reportedly told investigators. “But when he came out of the correctional facility, I thought he had repented. He was unwell, and I even spent money to take him for medical treatment. I honestly believed he had turned over a new leaf.”
Commotion and Calls for Vigilance
The dramatic arrest has sent shockwaves through Ogun State, coming on the heels of sustained outcries from local residents, travellers, and community leaders who have been pushed to the brink by relentless highway ambushes and rural raids.
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Confirming the operation, the Ogun State Police Command assured the public that a massive manhunt has been launched to track down Bala and his fleeing siblings. The authorities have urged the residents of Ijebu and surrounding border communities to remain highly vigilant and report any suspicious individuals seeking treatment for injuries or wandering through forested areas