A network of informants, local vendors and businesses has been uncovered for allegedly aiding kidnapping gangs in Kogi State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the state commissioner for information and communications, Kingsley Fanwo said joint security forces carried out targeted operations in Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba East and Yagba West local government areas following a spike in kidnappings.
He said the security operations came after the kidnapping and death of a retired army officer from Odo-Ape, the abduction of a prominent farmer from Ponyan in Yagba East, and other similar incidents in Yagba West.
The commissioner said that one of the key findings from the operations involved the case of the late Samson Enietan, described as a “known criminal informant” who reportedly took his own life after his activities were uncovered.
“While preliminary claims suggest he committed suicide, the Kogi State Government disputes this version of events, pointing instead to a likely internal execution by fellow conspirators, afraid he might expose more names,” he said.
The commissioner said victims kidnapped from Kiri in Kabba/Bunu were also rescued during a related operation.
The commissioner said victims kidnapped from Kiri in Kabba/Bunu were also rescued during a related operation.
He said their testimonies led to the arrest of Babatunde Aledare, a native of Ayetoro Kiri, who confessed to being a key informant for the criminal network.
“His revelations have led to more arrests in the past 48 hours, confirming the existence of a well-coordinated internal network enabling the operations of kidnapping gangs in Kogi State,” the statement read.
Fanwo stated that further investigations had uncovered surprising patterns of collaboration from unexpected sources, with evidence indicating that some bread sellers and sachet water factories were supplying food and water directly to kidnappers in forest hideouts.
“These supplies are often transported by motorcycle operators acting as couriers between town-based vendors and criminal camps in the bush. This logistical link has allowed criminal elements to remain embedded in remote areas for extended periods,” he said.
Fanwo added that some fuel stations were also implicated in selling petrol in containers for delivery to kidnappers, providing them with the fuel to sustain their operations.
He said the state government is determined to dismantle this illegal supply chain and hold everyone involved accountable.
“Any individual or business caught aiding the operations of kidnappers, whether through sales, logistics, or land provision, will be treated as a direct accomplice and will face the full weight of the law,” the commissioner warned.
