The Ondo State Police Command has announced the arrest of three suspected members of a notorious interstate armed robbery syndicate and the foiling of a violent land dispute that led to the arrest of seven suspects and the recovery of firearms and dangerous weapons.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Felix Ohagwu, said the achievements were recorded through proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and the dedication of officers and men of the Command since he assumed office as the state’s 47th Commissioner of Police.
He attributed the successes to the support of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
The Commissioner disclosed that operatives of the Command arrested three suspected members of an interstate armed robbery syndicate allegedly responsible for a string of violent robberies across Ondo and Lagos states.
The suspects, identified as Promise Daniel, 34, Ifeanyi Umahi, 29, and Adaramoye Abayomi, 37, were apprehended on July 18, 2026, following an intelligence-led operation linked to an armed robbery case reported on June 14 at the Iju Police Division in Ita-Ogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area.
According to the police, the suspects were intercepted while travelling in an ash-coloured Mercedes-Benz ML 350 SUV.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 18 rounds of live ammunition, an English-made Beretta pistol loaded with four rounds of live ammunition, a UTC axe and an iron cutter.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects belonged to a notorious armed robbery gang already on the Command’s watchlist for alleged involvement in violent crimes across the state.
The Commissioner said the suspects had made useful confessional statements, providing investigators with leads to track down other fleeing members of the syndicate and unravel the full scope of their operations.
In a separate operation, the Command prevented what it described as a potentially deadly clash arising from a land dispute in Kajola, Ore area of the state.
The incident occurred on July 18 at a farmland in Adegbiji via Kajola and involved two parties identified as Akinsulu Titus and Ajani Abiodun, both from Ayetoro via Kajola, who are currently involved in a land ownership case before the High Court sitting in Ore.
Police investigations revealed that both men arrived at the disputed farmland accompanied by supporters, including commercial motorcycle riders and three individuals alleged to be soldiers, who are currently being sought by security agencies.
The disagreement reportedly escalated over allegations that palm trees and other economic crops had been destroyed, leading to a violent confrontation in which both principal parties sustained injuries.
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Police operatives responded swiftly to the scene, restoring calm and recovering a yellow bag containing two locally made firearms, two cutlasses, a bag of suspected charms, a rubber container labelled “Acid” containing liquid, and other dangerous weapons.
Seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects.
The case has been transferred to the Command Surveillance Squad in Akure for further investigation.
CP Ohagwu warned individuals involved in civil disputes, particularly matters already before competent courts, against taking the law into their own hands or resorting to violence.
He assured residents that thorough investigations would be conducted into both cases and that all suspects found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to maintaining peace, protecting lives and property and responding decisively to threats to public safety.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to combat crime across the state.
