Twelve persons have been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly participating in various criminal activities around the state.
The leadership said that some of the suspects were employed by the kidnappers who had been robbing the state’s citizens in previous years.
According to The Intercept, nine surveyors were kidnapped last week from a location in the state’s Ilu Abo Community, Akure North Local Government Area. After spending a week in the kidnappers’ cave, the captives were eventually released. Before the event, some individuals in the same local government had been abducted but subsequently freed.
Speaking to journalists about the arrest at the command’s headquarters on Tuesday, Mr Wilfred Afolabi, the state commissioner of police, stated that the command would not stop till the criminals were driven from the state.
The CP claims that some of the accused were providing the bandits with information on the people’s whereabouts to kidnap them.
He said, “On February 24, 2025, joint efforts of the police and local vigilantes at Owo led to the arrest of one Abdullahi Mallam Bala, aged 21 years. He could not give a satisfactory account of what he was doing in the bush alone without being a nomad or having any reason to be there. Further investigation revealed that he was one of the suspects on the run who is part of the syndicates of Ibrahim Dan Alhaji Umaru who was arrested earlier in the year and his name has recurred in kidnapping-related cases.
“On February 22, 2025, the police (Special Squad) through the use of technical support arrested one Komolafe Sunday a.k.a Veego, aged 39 years. During interrogation, he confessed to being a motorcyclist who helped the kidnappers get food for their victims while in custody and received money based on the number of people kidnapped. He also served as a spy to inform them of movements along the road. The suspect led the police to Akunu-Akoko and two suspects, Umaru Abubakar Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, were arrested. Umaru Abubakar confessed to being the one who guarded victims in the forest when they were brought to the base.
“Further interrogation led to the arrest of LekanTemitope a.k.a Legelege who is also a motorcyclist that worked for the kidnappers. In the same vein, on March 14, 2025, the police through coordinated intelligence-led policing arrested the duo of Ridwan Salisu, aged 45 years and Umar Isyaku, aged 19, at Ipele in connection with a case of kidnapping. A sum of N3,614,000.00 was found in possession of the duo. Salisu claimed the money was for POS. An investigation is ongoing to confirm if the money is a proceed of ransom paid by victims.”
The police chief also said that four people had been taken into custody to cult and vandalism crimes in the state, stating that the arrest was made possible by the command’s anti-kidnapping unit’s concerted efforts.
Awosika Babajide (Eiye Cult), Michael Peter (Eiye Cult), Kunle Akinwande (Aveh Cult), and Akintemi Akinwunmiju (Aveh Cult) were among the suspects, according to Afolabi. All of them had admitted to belonging to the cult, he claimed.
“As part of the command’s efforts to rid the state of all forms of criminality, the command organised coordinated raids of areas in Ondo town through the Special Anti-Cultism Squad. The team busted various hideouts on March 15, 2025, where the following suspects were arrested.
On the suspected vandals arrest, the CP said, “On March 14, 2025, one Samuel Friday was caught by members of the public vandalising a transformer along Ilu-Abo, Ogbese area of Ondo State and handed him over to the police.
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“During interrogation, he confessed to have been vandalising electrical transformers since 2016 and that he had been jailed three times before he was finally released in 2018. He however confessed that he did sell stolen electrical cables removed from uncompleted/abandoned buildings to one Alhaji Abubakar a.k.a Abu Shisha and one Alhaji Sheu Sabo residing in Akure, Ondo State.
“Efforts are ongoing to arrest the receivers.”
He revealed that on Monday, March 18, 2025, a male suspect named Iyanu John was captured by a midnight patrol team at Adinlewa. The suspect was found in possession of two stolen solar panels and was taken into custody right away. John’s speciality was stealing and destroying public infrastructure.
He stated that the suspect would face charges in court when the inquiry was over.
