The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper and armed robber, identified as Godspower Cletus, after he attempted to withdraw a N1 million ransom at a POS terminal in Akure, the state capital.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olusola, said the suspect had earlier stormed the residence of the victim, Mrs Farimoyo Endurance, in the Odudu community of Akure. Armed with a gun, he allegedly held the woman hostage and dispossessed her of valuables including her mobile phone and goods.
According to the police, Cletus forced the victim to call her husband and demanded a N5 million ransom before she would be released.
Under pressure, the husband transferred N1 million into his wife’s account, after which the suspect seized her ATM card and fled.
However, detectives who had been tracking the suspect closed in on him at the moment he attempted to withdraw the ransom money from a POS operator. He was immediately apprehended.
“The Ondo State Police Command wishes to inform the public of the arrest of a suspected armed robber and kidnapper, whose criminal activities were recently disrupted due to swift and coordinated police action,” DSP Olusola said.
He added that the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigations are ongoing to determine whether he has accomplices or connections to similar incidents within the state.
Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for their timely intervention, noting that the operation demonstrated the command’s enhanced intelligence capabilities and commitment to crime prevention.
He also acknowledged the support and strategic direction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, whose reforms and technological initiatives, he said, continue to strengthen security operations in Ondo State.
The command urged residents to remain vigilant, especially during the festive period, and to promptly report any suspicious activities to security agencies.