OYO POLICE ARREST TWO SUSPECTS OVER ABDUCTION OF CRIN STAFF, DISMISS FRESH KIDNAP CLAIMS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the abduction of two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Idi-Ayunre, in Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Shehu and Abubakar, were apprehended during a coordinated rescue operation launched by security operatives following the kidnap incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening.
Confirming the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command received a distress call at about 6 p.m. on May 19 from the Chief Security Officer of CRIN, reporting that armed men had invaded the institution and abducted two staff members.
According to Ayanlade, preliminary investigations revealed that about six armed men stormed the area before whisking the victims away to an unknown destination.
“Upon receipt of the report, police operatives immediately visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, during which preliminary findings revealed that about six armed men invaded the area before abducting the victims,” he stated.
The police spokesperson disclosed that tactical teams immediately commenced intensive bush combing and search operations across surrounding forest areas linked to the abduction.
He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbemiga Abimbola, ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence units, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to secure the release of the victims and apprehend those behind the crime.
Ayanlade explained that the two suspects were arrested during one of the operations carried out on Wednesday morning.
“It was during one of such operations on May 20, 2026, at about 0810hrs, that police operatives encountered and accosted two suspicious individuals identified as Shehu and Abubakar,” he said.
According to him, the suspects volunteered to lead operatives to the hideout of their accomplices but the team came under gunfire attack while approaching the location.
“While approaching the suspected location, the team came under gunfire attack from armed men believed to be members of the kidnapping syndicate.
“The operatives responded professionally, repelled the attack, and successfully extracted the two suspects, who are currently in the custody of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation and intelligence exploitation,” the statement added.
The police command also dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging fresh mass abductions in Abanla community and other parts of Ibadan, describing the claims as false and misleading.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the State Police Command categorically states that no such incident has been reported anywhere within Ibadan metropolis or its environs apart from the already reported CRIN incident presently receiving robust operational attention,” Ayanlade said.
He warned media organisations, bloggers and social media users against publishing unverified security reports capable of creating panic among residents and undermining ongoing security operations.
The command reassured residents that adequate security measures had been put in place across affected areas and urged members of the public to remain calm while supporting security agencies with credible information.
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