The Oyo State Police Command says it has rescued two victims and arrested three suspects following a kidnapping incident at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Idi-Ayunre area of the state. In a statement published on its official X page on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, said the incident occurred at about 12:23 p.m. when the representatives of the Ogun State chapter of CRIN were attacked by unidentified armed men at the institute’s nursery site. The victims were said to be at the facility to submit their annual collections of cocoa seedlings for the 2026 planting season when they were abducted. Mr Olayinka said a joint security team comprising the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilante groups, and the Amotekun Corps was immediately deployed to the scene following a distress call. He said the operatives engaged the assailants in a coordinated pursuit, leading to the rescue of two male victims and the arrest of three suspects. “Intensive efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining victim(s), as security operatives have commenced aggressive bush combing operations and sustained pursuit of the fleeing criminals. “The Command assures the public that it remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property across the State. Members of the public are urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could aid ongoing operations,” the statement read. The police said security operatives had intensified bush-combing operations and were in sustained pursuit of fleeing members of the gang. The command assured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to remain calm while providing useful information to aid ongoing operations. Rising insecurity Although Nigeria’s worst kidnapping hotspots have historically been in the northern part of the country, recent incidents suggest a worrying spread of violent crime into parts of the South-west. Apart from Oyo, other states bordering the North-central region have also seen a surge in kidnapping in recent months. Data from SBM Intelligence shows the scale of the crisis nationally. At least 4,722 people were abducted in 997 incidents between July 2024 and June 2025, with no fewer than 762 killed. The numbers indicate the growing profitability and organisation of kidnapping networks. The same report estimates that kidnappers demanded billions of naira in ransom within the period, underlining how abduction has evolved into a major criminal economy.