The Ondo State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 12 people who were allegedly involved in some criminal activities across the state.

Some of the suspects, according to the command, were alleged to be working for the kidnappers who had been abducting the residents of the state in the recent time.

Nine surveyors were abducted at a site in Ilu Abo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state last week. The victims later regained their freedom after a week in the kidnappers? den. Prior to the incident, a number of people had been kidnapped in the same local government but were later released.

Speaking with journalists on the arrest at the headquarters of the command on Tuesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilfred Afolabi, said the command would not rest until the criminals were flushed out of the state.

According to the CP, some of the suspects were giving information to the bandits about the movement of the people to abduct 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 in 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 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. Investigation is ongoing to confirm if the money is a proceed of ransom paid by victims.?

The police boss also disclosed that four persons were arrested in connection with cases of cultism and vandalism in the state, noting that the arrest was made possible following the coordinated efforts of the anti-kidnapping unit of the command.

Afolabi said the suspects included Awosika Babajide (Eiye Cult), Michael Peter, (Eiye Cult), Kunle Akinwande (Aveh Cult) and Akintemi Akinwunmiju (Aveh Cult). He said they had all confessed to being members of the cult group.

?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.

?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 disclosed that on Monday, March 18, 2025, a midnight patrol team at Adinlewa apprehended one Iyanu John (male), a suspect whose specialty was in stealing and destruction of public infrastructure saying the suspect was caught in possession of two stolen solar panels and was immediately taken into custody.

He said while investigation was ongoing, the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation. (The PUNCH)

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