The Ondo State Police Command said it has arrested four persons allegedly involved in kidnapping and ritual activities in Ogbese, in the Akure North LGA of Ondo State.
Ifeoluwa Julius and three members of his gang were reportedly involved in a series of kidnappings, armed robberies, and ritual-related offences in Ogbese town.
The police, however, did not name the other members of the gang.
“This group had long remained on the Command’s watch list due to mounting intelligence linking them to violent criminal activities within the area,” police spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, said in Akure on Sunday.
“Further intelligence revealed that the suspects had recently returned from a location where they procured criminal charms intended to fortify themselves for future criminal undertakings.
“Acting promptly on this credible intelligence, operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit launched a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation on the outskirts of Ogbese town.
“This precise and strategic approach led to the successful arrest of the four suspects, demonstrating the Command’s resolve to proactively dismantle emerging criminal threats.”
While arresting Mr Ifeoluwa, the command recovered an expended cartridge, fetish items and red and white cloth stained with blood.
“These recoveries aligned with the suspects’ subsequent confessions. During interrogation, Ifeoluwa Julius openly admitted to being a ritualist and confirmed, along with his gang members, their involvement in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Ogbese axis,” Mr Ayanlade further said.
“He further disclosed that their recent trip was deliberately undertaken to acquire additional criminal fortifications to enhance their capacity for further nefarious activities.”
He said the suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
“Ondo State will never serve as a safe haven for criminals. Individuals or groups involved in criminal activities—regardless of their location, tactics, or attempts at concealment—will be identified, pursued, arrested, and made to face the full weight of the law,” he added.
Kidnapping activities are reported nearly daily, despite the announcement of several arrests by the police and Amotekun, the Ondo State Security Network.
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On the 6th of November, a young lady, identified as Oluwaseun Adebayo, was whisked away by suspected kidnappers, but was lucky to be rescued by security operatives, after a good citizen promptly alerted the police to the incident.
She was picked up at Welluwelu 2, along Oda Road, by four persons riding in an unregistered Toyota Camry(Muscle) at about 6.30 p.m.
The same week, the Amotekun Corps announced it had arrested a man spying for kidnappers in the state.
The corps said the man’s main assignment was to alert kidnappers whenever Amotekun operatives were approaching.
A week earlier, the police apprehended five suspected kidnappers in Amurin, within the Owo-Ifon axis.
They were reported to have been terrorising residents in the state through their activities.
The suspects were identified as Friday Monday, Ashimi Wahab, James Odina, Ibrahim Idris and Prince Areeh.
