Police Establish Tactical Base in Ilu-Abo to Tackle Kidnapping in Ondo
The Ondo State Police Command has intensified efforts to curb kidnapping and other violent crimes with the establishment of a new tactical team base in Ilu-Abo community.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Adebowale Lawal, announced the development on Tuesday during a visit to Ilu-Abo where he addressed protesting residents and assessed the security situation in the area.
Lawal assured the community that the command was fully aware of their concerns and had already begun implementing strategies to restore peace and safety.
According to him, the new tactical base will serve Ilu-Abo, Ayede, Ogbese and neighbouring communities which have recently experienced security challenges.
The commissioner explained that the unit is made up of specially trained operatives drawn from elite formations of the command, including anti-kidnapping squads, who will operate round-the-clock.
He said the team would conduct intensive patrols, surveillance operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated security operations to deter criminal activities and respond swiftly to threats.
Lawal also disclosed that the command had intensified joint security operations in the affected areas, including stop-and-search exercises, forest combing operations and intelligence-driven raids targeting suspected criminal hideouts.
He added that the operations are aimed at dismantling kidnapping networks and preventing criminals from using forested areas and boundary communities as safe havens.
The commissioner further directed Divisional Police Officers within the axis and neighbouring divisions to collaborate closely with the tactical team, as well as local vigilantes, hunters and other community security groups to strengthen intelligence gathering.
He urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding while cooperating with security agencies by providing credible information that could aid ongoing operations, assuring them that all information would be treated confidentially.
The police boss reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that kidnapping and other violent crimes would not be tolerated in any part of Ondo State.
Residents were also advised to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency communication channels.
