By Duchess Ifeoluwa 

A kidnapping victim in Isua Akoko has recounted how his courageous resistance during an abduction helped security operatives track down and arrest one of his captors, in a development that underscores the growing role of intelligence-led policing in combating violent crime in the state.

The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, was said to have been abducted at night by three armed men while tending cattle in a nearby community.

In a daring attempt to resist the attackers, he reportedly inflicted a head injury on one of the suspects during a struggle, a detail that later proved crucial in the suspect’s arrest.

According to a statement issued by the Ondo State Police Command, the incident was reported on April 10, 2026, when one Ahmadu alerted the police at the Isua Division that two young men had gone to Ipesi Akoko for cattle rearing, but only one returned home.

Acting promptly on the report, operatives launched a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation that led to the successful rescue of the victim.

Leveraging information provided by the victim after his escape, the police traced a suspect to Obasanjo Motor Park in Isua at about 6:09 a.m., where a man with a visible head injury was apprehended.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to being a member of the kidnapping gang.

The victim subsequently identified him, citing the injury he had inflicted during the struggle as a distinguishing mark.

The police confirmed that the rescued victim has been taken to hospital for medical attention, while the suspect has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Akure for further investigation and prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, commended members of the public for providing timely and credible information that aided the operation, stressing that community collaboration remains critical in tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes.