By Damilola Isaiah, Akure
The Ondo State Police Command has announced the arrest of 13 suspected criminals for various offences including cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, fraud, burglary, and livestock theft across the state.
Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this on weekend during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Akure, the state capital.
He noted that the arrests were made in line with the operational directives of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Command’s commitment to intelligence-driven and community-based policing.
Lawal said two suspected cultists and armed robbery suspects were apprehended in Ipele, Owo Local Government Area, with a pump action gun recovered from them.
He added that the suspects confessed to being members of the Malians Club, a notorious cult group operating from hideouts in Ipele and Melege, which have since been raided by the police.
In another operation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit rescued three kidnap victims along the Oka–Akungba axis after a fierce gun battle with abductors.
According to him, one of the kidnappers was neutralized, while others escaped with gunshot wounds. Two locally-made pistols, expended cartridges, and mobile phones were recovered from the scene.
The CP also paraded one Ayodeji Oluwapelumi Samuel, who was arrested for hacking the WhatsApp account of a retired senior police officer and defrauding her associates of over N1 million.
Lawal said detectives tracked the suspect through his PalmPay account and digital trail before arresting him in Edo State, adding that efforts were ongoing to arrest his fleeing accomplices.
Similarly, detectives are investigating a case of stealing and obtaining goods under false pretence involving two suspects, Kazeem Olabintan and Akeem Olayiwola, who allegedly defrauded their employer and another businessman of twelve motorcycles valued at about N19 million. Both suspects have been detained pending the conclusion of investigations.
Lawal further revealed the arrest of two suspected burglars, Ogunjimi Blessing and Mayowa Alonge, who broke into a residence in Akure and carted away valuables worth N3.39 million. Items recovered from them included an Elepaq generator, electrical wires, and a toy gun.
In another case, one Adekugbe Moses was arrested for allegedly obtaining N10 million from an engineer under the pretence of supplying laboratory equipment. The suspect reportedly confessed that he had no intention of procuring the items and converted the money to personal use.
The police also intercepted a blue Nissan Primera vehicle conveying seven stolen live goats along the Ondo-Yaba road. Two suspects, Adewale Olafusi and Akinmuyiwa Tope, were arrested, leading to the subsequent apprehension of two receivers of the stolen livestock, Usman Muritala and Ebenezer Akinnagbe, both residents of Ondo Town.
According to the Commissioner, the Command recovered several exhibits including one pump action gun, two locally-made pistols, mobile phones, a generator, electrical wires, a toy gun, a criminal charm, and seven live goats.
