Kwara security forces arrest over 15 criminals, including notorious kidnap kingpin Tambaya in fresh raids.
Recovered weapons, ransom cash, and confessions expose network behind attacks across Edu and Patigi LGAs.
Security operations in Kwara State have led to the arrest of more than 15 suspects involved in recent attacks across Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas. Among those captured is a notorious outlaw known as Tambaya, believed to be behind a series of violent crimes in the region.
In a statement issued Thursday from the Government House, officials confirmed that Tambaya was the key figure in a recent assault on security operatives and local vigilantes in Gada, Lafiagi. He was arrested alongside eight members of his gang, while several others were reportedly neutralized during the encounter.
Two victims held by the group were rescued during the operation, and security agents recovered ₦11 million, believed to be proceeds from the gang’s criminal activities.
The operation was a joint effort involving the Kwara State Government, the Office of the National Security Adviser, top security commanders in the state, and local vigilante groups.
Earlier this month, on July 11, the state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said in a press briefing in Ilorin that the Command’s intensified focus on intelligence gathering and targeted field operations was yielding results in the fight against crime.
In a related incident, three women were arrested at Babanla Motor Park on June 25 for allegedly smuggling weapons. Police discovered an AK-47 rifle with 31 rounds of ammunition hidden inside a passenger’s bag. Investigations later linked the women to a kidnapping group operating in the Baba-Sango forest. One of the suspects reportedly confessed that she was heading to meet her husband, a known kidnapper. A fourth woman escaped arrest and is currently on the run.
On July 6, in Share town, police intercepted Suleiman Jamiu and Mumini Mohammed during a late-night stop-and-search. The suspects were found with ₦11.3 million in cash. According to the CP, Jamiu has ties to a February 2025 kidnapping case involving a ₦20 million ransom. Authorities suspect the seized money may be linked to ransom payments.
In separate incidents on May 30 and June 1, gunmen attacked a cashew factory and a residential area in Oro, killing one person and abducting six others. Police have arrested three men including Mohammed Olaiya Dende and Mohammed Dende in connection with the attacks. They are facing charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and homicide.
Meanwhile, six suspects linked to the kidnapping of Alhaji Abbass and Abubakar Issa in Lafiagi were arrested after a joint operation in Gbugbu. Two firearms were recovered, and the suspects confessed to being part of a larger syndicate operating between Kwara and Niger States under the leadership of Tambaya.
In another operation in Ifelodun Local Government Area, one Buba Lawal was arrested in Oko with an AK-47 magazine containing eight bullets. Police believe he has ties to several attempted kidnappings and is currently being profiled.
Commissioner Ojo has vowed that the security efforts will not slow down. “These arrests and recoveries are proof that no part of Kwara is safe for criminals,” he said. “We will continue to disrupt their networks and bring every last accomplice to justice.”
On July 4 in Amoyo, officers on patrol found a locally-made double-barrel pistol in an abandoned building after three men fled the scene. One of the suspects, known as Olamide, alias “Bold,” is reportedly a well-known drug dealer and is now being tracked.
Perhaps the most daring raid occurred on June 22 in Okuta, Baruten LGA. Following a kidnapping report, a swift joint operation led to the arrest of a suspect, while another was killed. The victim was later found abandoned in the forest. Officers recovered an AK-47 rifle, 13 rounds of ammunition, and a red Golf car believed to be used by the kidnappers. The suspect in custody, Idirisu Sariki, has admitted to involvement in several kidnappings around the border area.
