The Ondo State Police Command has apprehended 12 individuals suspected of involvement in various criminal activities across the state. Some of the arrested suspects were allegedly working as informants for kidnappers who have been abducting residents in recent times.
According to sources, nine surveyors were kidnapped last week at a site in Ilu Abo Community, Akure North Local Government Area. The victims were later released after spending a week in captivity. Prior to this incident, several kidnappings had occurred in the same area, with victims eventually regaining their freedom.
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Speaking at the command headquarters on Tuesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, vowed that the police would not relent until criminals were eradicated from the state.
Afolabi revealed that some of the suspects were supplying information to kidnappers about people’s movements to facilitate abductions. He detailed several arrests, including that of 21-year-old Abdullahi Mallam Bala on February 24, 2025. Bala was found wandering in the bush in Owo without any legitimate reason, leading to his arrest. Further investigations linked him to a notorious kidnapping syndicate led by Ibrahim Dan Alhaji Umaru, who had been arrested earlier in the year.
On February 22, 2025, a special police squad used technical intelligence to arrest 39-year-old Komolafe Sunday, also known as “Veego.” During interrogation, he admitted to working as a motorcyclist who provided food for kidnapping victims in captivity and received payments based on the number of people abducted. He also acted as an informant for the kidnappers. His confession led to the arrest of two other suspects, Umaru Abubakar Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, in Akunu-Akoko. Abubakar admitted to guarding victims in the forest.
Further police investigations resulted in the arrest of another accomplice, Lekan Temitope, also known as “Legelege,” another motorcyclist aiding kidnappers. Additionally, on March 14, 2025, intelligence-led operations led to the capture of Ridwan Salisu (45) and Umar Isyaku (19) in Ipele. They were found with ₦3,614,000, which Salisu claimed was meant for POS transactions. Authorities are investigating whether the money was ransom paid by kidnapping victims.
The police also arrested four individuals linked to cultism and vandalism in the state. Those identified as cultists included Awosika Babajide and Michael Peter (Eiye Confraternity), as well as Kunle Akinwande and Akintemi Akinwunmiju (Aveh Confraternity). They reportedly confessed to being members of the cult groups.
As part of efforts to curb crime, the police, through the Special Anti-Cultism Squad, raided various hideouts in Ondo town on March 15, 2025, leading to multiple arrests.
Regarding vandalism, Afolabi disclosed that on March 14, 2025, one Samuel Friday was caught by residents while vandalizing an electrical transformer in the Ilu-Abo, Ogbese area. He was handed over to the police and later admitted to engaging in transformer vandalism since 2016. Friday revealed that he had been jailed three times before his final release in 2018. He also confessed to selling stolen electrical cables from abandoned buildings to two buyers identified as Alhaji Abubakar, also known as “Abu Shisha,” and Alhaji Sheu Sabo, both residing in Akure.
