Pastor, wife arrested over self-kidnap, robbery suspect nabbed in Ondo

Operatives of the Ondo Police Command have arrested a couple, Pastor Joshua Sanmori and his wife, Taiwo Sanmori, for allegedly orchestrating a self-kidnapping scheme.

The 62-year-old pastor is accused of conspiring with his 42-year-old wife to fake her abduction in order to demand ransom from unsuspecting family members and associates.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Olayinka Ayanlade, revealed that the incident took place at Road 5, Power Line, Ondo City, on August 23, 2025 .

According to the police spokesperson, after isolating herself in a separate room in their residence, Taiwo’s husband raised a false alarm, claiming she had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen who demanded N10 million as ransom.

Suspicious of the claims, a relative, Mr Fasegha Joseph, reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, who then directed the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) to investigate.

Upon investigation, Mrs Taiwo was found at their residence in Ondo town, where she falsely claimed to have been released by kidnappers after a ransom of five million naira was paid.

During interrogation, Mrs Taiwo confessed that the abduction was staged as a self-kidnapping scheme to extort money from her relatives abroad under the guise of securing her release. She admitted that her motive was to settle debts and provide for her personal needs.

Both she and her husband are currently under investigation, and legal action is being taken. In a separate development, the PPRO also disclosed the arrest of an armed robbery suspect, Tosin Zaccheous, 23, in Ikare-Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko North East Local Council of the state.

Zaccheous allegedly attacked Serah Ogunbodede and forcefully robbed her of her bag on August 25, behind Winners’ Chapel, Ikare-Akoko.

“The victim’s alarm attracted the attention of nearby police detectives, who pursued and arrested the suspect. A locally made barrel gun was recovered from his possession, confirming that he was armed during the attack,” Ayanlade said.

The suspect and the case file have been transferred to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Office in Akure for further investigation and prosecution.