The Kwara State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered firearms and ammunition in Ilorin.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the command disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
According to the statement, the arrest was made on May 5 at about 7:30 pm, when operatives of the Intelligence Response Team trailed and apprehended the suspects within Ilorin metropolis.
The police said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects, whose names were withheld, allegedly handed over their weapons to a female accomplice to avoid detection by security operatives.
The weapons were reportedly meant to be moved to an agreed operational location where planned criminal activities were to be carried out.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly led operatives to a hideout where three AK-47 rifles were recovered. The police also recovered five AK-47 magazines and 143 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects and other fleeing members of the syndicate were allegedly planning a coordinated attack.
The police said members of the gang were moving in small groups toward a designated convergence point before the operation was foiled through timely intelligence-led policing.
The statement read in part, “The suspects reportedly confessed to being members of a kidnapping syndicate currently operating within and around the state.
“They are presently in police custody and assisting investigators with useful information aimed at apprehending other members of the criminal network and preventing further criminal activities.”
The police said the suspects would be charged in court at the conclusion of the investigations.