A coordinated security operation in Oyo State has led to the arrest of a suspected kidnapper at the point of collecting a N10 million ransom allegedly demanded for the release of a prominent resident, Alhaji Bagudu.

Bagudu was reportedly seized from his home in Ilowa Village, Atiba Local Government Area, and taken into the dense Otefon forest, where his abductors held him while negotiating with his family for payment.

According to the Oyo State Police Command, the breakthrough followed credible intelligence supplied by operatives of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in the state. Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said information reached security agencies that members of a kidnapping gang had converged in Otefon forest to receive the ransom from the victim’s relatives.

Acting on the tip-off, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Abimbola, ordered operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in the Oyo/Iseyin axis to partner with vigilante members and move into the area for a combined rescue and arrest mission.

Preliminary investigations indicated that about six armed men had stormed Bagudu’s residence in the dead of night, whisking him away into the forest and demanding N10 million for his freedom. Security operatives were said to have adopted a tactical approach that placed the victim’s safety above all else.

Ayanlade explained that officers first ensured Bagudu’s safe release before closing in on the suspects’ rendezvous point. Once it was confirmed that the victim had regained his freedom unharmed, the team advanced on the location where the ransom was to be collected.

On sighting the approaching security personnel, the suspects allegedly opened fire, triggering a gun battle. In the ensuing exchange, one suspect, identified as Mohammed Sanni, was arrested, while others escaped into the forest, some believed to be nursing gunshot wounds.

Items recovered from the scene include a motorcycle bearing registration number TUT 824 TY, a mobile phone, a pair of slippers and a cap. Police say these exhibits are undergoing forensic analysis to aid further investigations.

The arrested suspect has reportedly made useful confessional statements, and the command says efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing members of the gang.

The Oyo State Police Command urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely, credible information to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remains vital in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes.