BREAKING: Police arrest eight suspects linked to Ekiti pupils’ abduction

The gunmen had on Monday ambushed the school bus conveying the pupils and staff to Eporo, a suburb of Emure at a bad spot and whisked them away after the school hour.

The kidnappers, who demanded a N100m ransom later slashed it to N15m before the nine victims would be released.

However,  the police, in a statement by the command spokesman, Sunday Abutu, on Thursday, February 1, disclosed that the suspects were arrested by combined security agencies during a bush combing operation in Ekiti and Ondo forests.

Abutu added that three cutlasses axe, dagger, a live cow, and food items were some of the things recovered from the suspects.

Furthermore, the police spokesman
Abutu further said the suspects are currently undergoing investigations.

He urged members of the public to support the police with credible and timely intelligence.

“Following the recent kidnapping of some school children in Emure-Ekiti and the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti, the Command, to ensure the rescue of the victims and the apprehension of the culprits, deployed the Rapid Response Squad for a bush combing operation in collaboration with the military personnel, Amotekun Corps, Vigilantes, Local Hunters, Members of Agbekoya Group including Policemen and Amotekun Corps from Ondo State,” the statement read.

“During the operation which was carried out through Emure Forest, Ise/Ogbese Forest to Emure-Ile Forest in Ondo State, the following eight suspects were further arrested in the Forests: YAYA SUMAILA, IDRISU ABUBAKAR, HASSAN ABDULAHI, ABUDULLAHI ABUDULLAHI, HARUNA ABUBAKAR, USMAN ABUDULLAHI, HARUNA SULE including one BABUSA ALHAJI LEDE who was arrested inside Ayedun/ Ayebode Ekiti forest in Ikole Area of the State.”