Key points
- Ogun police have arrested the 67-year-old Seriki Fulani of Ijebu Ode, Abdullai Muhammadu, and one of his sons over ongoing kidnapping investigations.
- Police said a bag allegedly used to collect ransom from a kidnap victim was recovered from the suspect’s kitchen.
- Muhammadu denied involvement in kidnapping but admitted knowing that his son, Bala, had previously been jailed for the crime.
- Investigators believe Bala and two of his brothers fled before security operatives arrived at the family compound.
- Police linked recent kidnapping incidents across several Ijebu communities to the wanted suspect.
- Authorities say efforts are ongoing to apprehend all members of the alleged kidnapping network.
Main story
The Ogun State Police Command has intensified its crackdown on kidnapping syndicates operating in parts of the state following the arrest of the Seriki Fulani of Ijebu Ode, Abdullai Muhammadu, and one of his sons during an ongoing investigation into a series of abductions.
Police operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit reportedly arrested the community leader after tracing one of the bags allegedly used in the payment of ransom for a kidnap victim to his residence.
The development followed weeks of intelligence-led investigations into kidnapping incidents reported in Ijebu Ode, Imodi, Irewon, Iwode, Okun Owa and neighbouring communities.
Investigators believe the crimes were linked to Bala Muhammadu, one of the Seriki Fulani’s sons, who had previously served a prison sentence for kidnapping-related offences.
According to police sources, Bala and two of his brothers allegedly escaped through nearby bush paths shortly before security operatives arrived at the family compound.
Although the community leader denied any involvement in criminal activities, he acknowledged that Bala had previously been convicted for kidnapping and admitted helping him recover after his release from prison.
His eldest son, Bello Muhammadu, who was also arrested during the operation, similarly denied involvement in any criminal enterprise and maintained that he had no knowledge of his brother’s alleged activities.
The issues
The case has renewed concerns about the persistence of kidnapping and organised criminal networks across parts of Ogun State despite ongoing security operations.
It also highlights the challenges security agencies face in dismantling family-linked criminal structures, particularly where suspects are embedded within local communities.
Questions have additionally emerged over the extent of family knowledge or complicity when previously convicted offenders return to their communities and are suspected of resuming criminal activities.
The latest development comes amid increasing public concern over abductions in rural and semi-urban communities, where residents have repeatedly called for stronger intelligence gathering and rapid security responses.
Authorities insist that intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations remain central to efforts aimed at curbing kidnapping and violent crime across the state.
What’s being said
“I know that Bala was into kidnapping. He was arrested and sent to prison,” Abdullai Muhammadu admitted.
“I thought that he had turned a new leaf because he is now into farming and cattle rearing. I didn’t know that he is still into kidnapping,” the community leader stated.
“I am not into kidnapping and I will not encourage it,” Muhammadu insisted.
“If my father had known that Bala had returned to the crime, he would have killed him himself. He does not encourage anything like that,” Bello Muhammadu said.
“The successful operation carried out by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, leading to the neutralisation/arrest of the notorious suspect and recovery of incriminating exhibits, underscores the bravery, professionalism and unwavering dedication of the operatives,” police spokesperson Oluseyi Babaseyi noted.
What’s next
Police authorities are expected to intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects believed to be connected to the kidnapping network.
Investigations are also likely to focus on determining whether other individuals within the community aided the suspects or benefited from the alleged criminal enterprise.
Meanwhile, security agencies have pledged to sustain operations aimed at dismantling kidnapping syndicates and improving safety across Ogun State.
Bottom line
The discovery of an alleged ransom bag in the kitchen of a prominent community leader has added a dramatic twist to Ogun State’s fight against kidnapping, as investigators pursue suspected members of a network believed to be behind a wave of abductions across the Ijebu axis.
