The Kwara State Police Command has arrested five suspects in connection with kidnapping and cannabis trafficking following a joint security operation in the state.
The suspects, identified as Dan-Teni Haruna and Rabiu Ibrahim from Saliku-Magama Local Government Area of Niger State, were apprehended for allegedly transporting cannabis concealed beneath tubers of yam. Three others — Mohammed Abubakar, Hussein, both from Tsaragi, and Tukur Ibrahim, described as a notorious kidnapper — were also arrested for alleged involvement in kidnapping activities.
Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed in a statement on Saturday that the operation, carried out on 26 September along the Babanla–Oreke–Oke-Ode axis of Ifelodun Local Government Area, was jointly executed by the police, operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS), and vigilante groups.
According to her, officers intercepted a vehicle laden with yam tubers, under which 127 bags of substances suspected to be cannabis were concealed. The seizure, she noted, marked a significant breakthrough in the command’s crackdown on illicit drug trafficking.
“In a related development, operatives also apprehended three suspects linked to the 8 August invasion of Babanla,” Ejire-Adeyemi stated, adding that the suspects would face prosecution after investigations.
The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, lauded the security team for the coordinated operation, stressing that Kwara would not serve as a safe haven for criminals.
He reassured residents that the command remained committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state.
