The Oyo State Police Command has arrested six suspected informants and logistics operatives linked to the abduction of students in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to official security reports, the arrests were made following the tracking of telephone conversations between the suspects and the bandits responsible for the school kidnapping. Authorities, however, disclosed that the principal members of the kidnapping syndicate remain at large and continue to evade arrest through the use of sophisticated communication technologies.
Police investigations revealed that those arrested were not the armed kidnappers operating within the forest but individuals suspected of providing logistical support, intelligence, and financial services to the criminal network.
Among those arrested are Babangida Buhari Awalu and Kabiru Aliyu, both commercial motorcycle operators. Security officials said the duo served as couriers for the kidnapping syndicate and were apprehended in the Ojoo area of Ibadan while allegedly attempting to collect ransom proceeds on behalf of the bandits.
Three other suspects — Adewuyi Sunday, Ayanwola Gbenga, and Rafiu Abdulmajeed — were arrested during follow-up investigations. The suspects are reportedly from the Gbugbu area of Kwara State and Ago-Are in Oyo State.
Another suspect, Adeleye Ayomide, a university student, was arrested by military personnel after investigators traced a victim’s mobile phone to him. Security sources disclosed that ransom-related emails sent to parents of abducted victims were allegedly traced to a device in his possession.
Authorities noted that residential addresses and additional personal details of the suspects have not been made public due to ongoing investigations and prosecution procedures.
The Police Public Relations Officer disclosed that investigators intercepted several telephone conversations conducted during and after the school abduction. The intercepted communications allegedly revealed how local informants provided operational guidance to the kidnappers, including directions through the Old Oyo National Park to help them avoid security checkpoints and military patrol routes.
Despite Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM registration framework, security agencies said the principal suspects have continued to avoid detection by employing advanced call-routing systems and network-masking technologies.
Officials from the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy explained that the criminal groups allegedly route calls through multiple remote telecommunications towers, making it difficult for investigators to determine their precise locations or identify the original registration details attached to the devices used.
Investigators also uncovered evidence suggesting that ransom payments made by victims’ families were transferred through several bank accounts before being distributed to members of the kidnapping syndicate.
Security reports indicate that a Wema Bank account linked to the investigation involving Adeleye Ayomide was allegedly used to receive ransom-related funds and proceeds from digital extortion activities.
Authorities further disclosed that bank accounts associated with Adewuyi Sunday, Ayanwola Gbenga, and Rafiu Abdulmajeed were also used as temporary channels for moving funds intended for the kidnappers operating within the forest.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), working alongside anti-corruption agencies, has reportedly frozen the identified accounts as part of ongoing efforts to track financial transactions connected to the kidnapping operation and identify additional suspects.
Investigations remain ongoing as security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the kidnapping syndicate.
About The Author
