The Ondo State Police Command has clarified that the four suspects apprehended near Akure airport are not bandits but logistics suppliers supporting kidnappers.
In a statement on Monday, the state police spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, disputed a report from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) claiming that four bandits were arrested behind the airport perimeter near Eleyewo community. FAAN had previously stated that the arrests followed a “coordinated security operation involving aviation and local security agencies.”
Jimoh asked the public to disregard reports suggesting bandits were apprehended at the airport, describing them as inaccurate and misleading. He said the arrested suspects had provided “useful confessional statements that are currently aiding ongoing investigations.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Command wishes to state clearly that no such incident occurred at the Akure Airport, and there was no security breach of any kind at the facility,” the statement reads.
He explained that operatives acted on credible intelligence regarding suspected kidnappers around the Eleyewo axis of Akure, leading to the arrest of two suspects. Preliminary investigations indicate the suspects are Kidnap Logistics Suppliers assisting kidnappers in the state, and they have been cooperating with authorities to track other members of the criminal network.
Adebowale Lawal, the state Commissioner of Police, reiterated to journalists that no bandits exist in Ondo State, only criminals. He confirmed that the command arrested two suspects believed to be aiding kidnappers along the Eleyewo and Ilu-Abo axis, with another unrelated suspect apprehended at Ilu-Abo.
Lawal emphasised that none of the suspects were arrested inside the airport facility, contrary to FAAN’s earlier statement, clarifying that the suspects were only taken near the airport during the investigation to lead security operatives to other potential hideouts.
Since the start of the year, Ondo State has seen a rise in violent attacks, including kidnappings and killings. On March 3, residents of Ayede Ogbese community blocked the Akure-Owo-Benin highway to protest ongoing violence, and on March 10, communities around Ilu-Abo staged a similar demonstration against the rising cases of abduction in the area.