Ondo Police Arrest 100 Suspects, Recover Arms, Stolen Vehicles, Drugs in Statewide Crackdown
Admin. 1st September,2025
The Ondo State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against crime with the arrest of 100 suspects across the state for offences ranging from murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, fraud, drug-related offences, theft, vandalism, and vehicle-related crimes. The operation also led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition, stolen vehicles, motorcycles, fake plate numbers, hard drugs, and assorted stolen items.
Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, while briefing journalists, said the successes were achieved under the strategic vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, noting that the Command has continued to deploy intelligence, innovation, and professionalism in safeguarding lives and property.
Among the notable breakthroughs was the arrest of suspects behind the armed robbery and killing of a commercial motorcyclist in Ondo town. Three suspects confessed to the crime, with firearms recovered. An 87-year-old arms supplier, Chief Kogbona, was also arrested with live cartridges.
In Owo, two members of the dreaded Aye cult group were arrested, while in Ikare-Akoko, two more suspected kidnappers were nabbed, in addition to earlier arrests and neutralization of gang members. The suspects have confessed and were identified by their victim.
Also, in a coordinated intelligence-led raid in Akure metropolis, 16 suspects were arrested with motorcycles and substances suspected to be hard drugs. Similarly, in a crackdown on vehicle-related crimes, police recovered cars with tampered chassis numbers, a fake NANS plate, stolen government and spy plates, and several unregistered vehicles used for crime.
In separate robbery incidents, suspects were arrested at different locations including Wesco Junction, Alagbaka Extension, and Ikare-Akoko, with locally made guns, cartridges, and unregistered vehicles recovered. A suspected fraudster who defrauded a victim of ₦10 million in a scrap deal was also arrested, with police freezing the illicit funds.
The Command equally arrested staff members of a motorcycle company for theft, a hotel worker for stealing a guest’s gold chain worth ₦11 million, and vandals who disguised as scavengers in Akure. A Toyota Camry stolen in 2014 from Lagos was also traced to Akure, leading to the arrest of four suspects.
In another shocking case, a man was arrested in Kajola for killing his younger brother and attempting to dispose of his body in a drum, following a dispute over ₦20,000 allegedly transferred from his bank account.
Recovered exhibits included five locally made guns, 30 rounds of cartridges, 15 unregistered/forged vehicle documents, three stolen vehicles, eight motorcycles, 15 contravened vehicles, fake number plates, and assorted stolen items such as phones, jewelry, SIM cards, and mattresses.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to sustain the fight against crime and thanked the people of Ondo State for their cooperation, stressing that the Command would continue working with other security agencies to make the state unsafe for criminals but safe for residents.
