The Ondo State Police Command has apprehended two suspects in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Mr. Alaba Abe, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and coordinator of the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization in Akoko South-West Local Government Area. Abe was killed in April 2024 at his residence in Supare Akoko during preparations for the APC governorship primary election.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Friday, identifying the suspects as Mohammed Sheu, 21, and Abubakar Umar, 24. The arrests were made by the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command.
According to Odunlami, the suspects were intercepted during a routine stop-and-search operation at Ikare Junction on November 14, 2024, when police officers became suspicious of Sheu’s behavior. During interrogation, a voice message on Sheu’s phone revealed a conversation about seeking opportunities for kidnapping jobs to make money.
Following further investigation, Sheu confessed to involvement in multiple crimes, including kidnapping and robbery across Kogi, Niger, Akoko, Ifon, Ipele, and Owo. He also disclosed the gang’s modus operandi, which involved targeting victims at their residences, abducting them into the bush, and demanding ransoms.
Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Umar, who confessed to being part of the same criminal gang. The suspects admitted their involvement in the abduction of Abe in April 2024, which resulted in his death, as well as a separate kidnapping at a popular hotel in Owo in September 2024.
Odunlami emphasized that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang. She reiterated the police’s commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and bringing perpetrators of such heinous crimes to justice.
