By Our Correspondent

National News – The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects linked to the abduction of two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in Idi-Ayunre, located in Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped on Tuesday evening when armed men stormed the institute and took them to an unknown destination.

The police confirmed the incident on Wednesday while assuring residents that rescue efforts and security operations were ongoing.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, the attack occurred around 6 pm on May 19, 2026.

A distress report was said to have been lodged by the institute’s Chief Security Officer at the Idi-Ayunre Divisional Police Headquarters shortly after the incident.

Preliminary investigations showed that about six armed kidnappers invaded the area before whisking away the two workers.

The police spokesman explained that security operatives immediately launched coordinated bush-combing operations across nearby forest areas in a bid to rescue the victims and track down the kidnappers.

During one of the operations carried out on Wednesday morning, officers intercepted two suspects identified simply as Shehu and Abubakar.

The suspects reportedly offered to lead investigators to the hideout of other members of the gang.

Ayanlade stated that the police team later came under heavy gunfire from suspected members of the kidnapping syndicate while approaching the hideout.

However, operatives successfully repelled the attack and safely extracted the two suspects, who are now being held by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further interrogation and intelligence gathering.

The Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Abimbola, also directed the deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to ensure the victims are rescued safely.

The command warned against spreading false security reports capable of causing fear and panic among residents.