Police, Akwa Ibom

File. A Nigerian Policeman

Police operatives in Kwara State have rescued a 26-year-old kidnapped woman, Shekinat Mukaila, and arrested a suspected collaborator linked to the criminal gang that abducted her during an attack on Wande Community in the Ora Kingdom of Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The rescue formed part of a series of intelligence-led operations announced on Friday by the state Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, in Ilorin.

The police commissioner disclosed that the victim was abducted on July 15 when armed hoodlums invaded the community, adding that her father, the Baale of Wande, sustained gunshot injuries while attempting to resist the attackers.

Adekimi said, “On 15th July, 2026, the Kwara State Police Command received a distress report of a kidnapping incident at Wande Community under Ora Kingdom, where armed hoodlums abducted Miss Shekinat Mukaila, aged 26 years.

“During the attack, her father, the Baale of the community, sustained gunshot injuries while attempting to resist the assailants.”

According to him, the command immediately activated its tactical and intelligence assets after receiving the distress report, deploying operatives to the community to secure the area, recover critical exhibits and commence a comprehensive investigation.

He added that the injured traditional ruler was evacuated to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital for treatment and has since been discharged.

“Upon receipt of the report, the command immediately activated its tactical and intelligence assets. Operatives were swiftly deployed to the scene, where the area was secured, critical exhibits were recovered, and a comprehensive intelligence-led investigation was immediately launched.

“The investigation yielded significant breakthroughs with the arrest of Aliyu Mohammed, who is alleged to have facilitated the activities of the kidnappers. In addition, investigators successfully identified and analysed the communication channels used by the criminal syndicate during ransom negotiations,” Adekimi said.

He explained that intelligence generated from the investigation enabled security operatives to intensify targeted operations, culminating in the successful rescue of the abducted woman without injuries, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.

“These coordinated intelligence-driven efforts culminated in the successful rescue of the kidnapped victim unhurt, while sustained operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining fleeing members of the syndicate,” the police commissioner added.

Adekimi said the rescue reflected the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remained critical to sustaining the fight against crime across the state.