The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected kidnappers’ den concealed within an abandoned, uncompleted building in Epinmi Akoko, located in the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state.
Two suspects, identified as Arohunmolase Idowu and Bada Tosin, were arrested in connection with the discovery.
Inside the building, authorities found a deep pit fitted with burglary-proof enclosures, believed to have been used to detain victims during ransom negotiations.
The building, situated in a quiet part of Epinmi, came under scrutiny following intelligence reports. A swift, coordinated operation by security agencies led to the raid.
Initial arrests were made by operatives of the Epinmi Vigilante Group around midnight on June 18, after Idowu was observed behaving suspiciously in the area.
The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, stated: “Sequel to credible intelligence received at about 12:30 am on June 18,2025, operatives of the Epinmi Vigilante Group apprehended one Arohunmolase Idowu, 25, of No. 14 Araromi Isalu Quarters, Epinmi Akoko.
“The suspect was found loitering suspiciously at odd hours and was unable to give a satisfactory account of his movement.”
Acting on preliminary information obtained during interrogation, a joint team of police officers and other security personnel, led by the Divisional Police Officer in Isua, arrested a second suspect, 26-year-old Bada Tosin, also from Epinmi Akoko.
The suspects then led law enforcement to a remote building in the forested area of the community, where a deep pit suspected to be a holding cell for kidnap victims was discovered.
Items recovered from the scene include two locally-made dane guns, four cutlasses, four axes, charms, and various other weapons.
The Commissioner of Police noted that both suspects, along with the seized items, have been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for further investigation.
