The Police Command in Ekiti has foiled a planned kidnap operation and arrested two suspects and cattle rustlers in an intelligence-led operation.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sunday Abutu, said in a statement on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti that the suspects were arrested on July 4 by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with officers of the Ayede-Ekiti Divisional Police Headquarters and local vigilantes.

Abutu identified the suspects as Mumini Muhammed, 23, and Kehinde Oseni, 22, who were apprehended in a forest along the Are-Afao Road/Ayede-Ekiti axis.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects had concluded plans to kidnap a resident of Ayede-Ekiti before they were intercepted.

According to him, the suspects were arrested while attempting to sell two stolen cows for N1.5 million, with the proceeds allegedly meant to finance the planned kidnapping.

The police spokesman said the suspects had confessed to the crime and made useful statements to investigators.

He added that efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the gang and recover firearms and other weapons allegedly in their possession.

Abutu said the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

He added that the recovered cattle had been identified and released to their owner.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Falade Adegoroye, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations against kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He urged residents to remain law-abiding and continue to support the police with timely and credible information to combat crime across the state. (NAN)