Police Arrest 2,500 for Kidnapping, Robbery in Ondo, Recover 105 Firearms

Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a total of 2,500 criminal suspects and recovered 105 firearms alongside other dangerous exhibits in a sweeping intelligence-led security offensive carried out across the state in 2025.The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this yesterday during a New Year press briefing in Akure, where he presented the Command’s operational scorecard for the year under review.

According to Lawal, the arrests cut across major offences including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, drug-related crimes, vandalism, and human trafficking, describing the outcome as a product of strategic, intelligence-driven policing and strong community collaboration.

He said, “In 2025 alone, the Ondo State Police Command arrested 2,500 suspects for various crimes. These include 50 murder suspects, 85 kidnappers, 49 armed robbers, 365 cultists, and 250 suspects linked to hard drugs, among others,” the CP said.He noted that the Command also recovered 92 vehicles and motorcycles, 200 rounds of ammunition, 27 forged vehicle documents, and several other incriminating exhibits, significantly disrupting criminal networks operating within and around the state.

Lawal recalled that upon assuming duty, the state’s security situation was volatile, prompting an immediate reassessment of crime patterns across Ondo North, Central, and South senatorial districts.

“The security situation was in turbulence when I assumed office. We carried out a comprehensive assessment and deployed new operational tactics. Today, the public has regained confidence in the police, and this trust has translated into actionable intelligence that continues to boost our effectiveness,” he noted.

He said the Command’s strategies anchored on intelligence-led policing, visibility patrols, community engagement, and inter-agency collaboration also helped to prevent the spillover of criminal activities from neighbouring states such as Edo and Ekiti.

Among the Command’s landmark achievements, the CP said the command arrested all suspects involved in the killing of two students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, a case he described as a turning point in public trust.

“The police also rescued 40 trafficked Ghanaian nationals in Akure, arrested an illegal arms manufacturer in Ile-Oluji, dismantled a notorious kidnapping and ritual gang in Ogbese, and arrested suspects linked to ritual-related incidents involving a student of OAUSTECH, Okitipupa.

“In addition, several repentant cultists voluntarily renounce cultism, surrendering 36 arms of various calibres, while rival cult groups in Ondo City were successfully reconciled through a historic peace initiative brokered by the Command.

“These peace-building efforts helped avert reprisal attacks and reduced cult-related violence significantly, especially during traditionally volatile periods such as 7/7 and 8/8,” Lawal said.

The commissioner revealed that the Command uncovered a baby factory in Ore, rescued pregnant girls and infants, dismantled sex-trafficking syndicates, and recovered a stolen four-year-old child through a multi-state operation involving Ondo, Delta, and Anambra states.

He added that suspects involved in incest and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old minor were arrested, while all rescued victims received medical, psychological, and rehabilitation support through the Police Gender Desk.

Lawal said the Command intensified community policing initiatives across all 18 local government areas, working closely with traditional rulers, youth groups, vigilantes, and sister security agencies.

On capacity building, he disclosed that officers underwent specialised training on Gender-Based Violence, advanced intelligence gathering, and community security collaboration, including training for members of the Owo Security Network.