The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a four-man robbery gang said to be behind several violent attacks and car thefts in Akure, Owo, and nearby communities.
The suspects were caught after a robbery was reported in Akure on June 27, where a car and other valuables were stolen.
The State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, said during a press briefing on Sunday in Akure that officers from the Tactical Intelligence and Response Squad used tip-offs to track down and arrest two suspects outside the state.
More investigations later led to the arrest of two other suspects, including a man believed to be a regular buyer of stolen goods.
Lawal said, “Preliminary findings indicate that the syndicate has been actively involved in a network specializing in car snatching and trafficking.” He also confirmed that the police recovered some stolen items such as a vehicle and several mobile phones.
Efforts are still ongoing to recover more stolen property and to arrest a suspected arms supplier linked to the gang.
In a separate case, the police also recovered livestock worth N41 million stolen by one Ali Garuba Muhammed, a worker who disappeared with 55 cows and eight sheep belonging to his employer, Fasua Oyeleye.
Oyeleye had reported the matter on July 1. Within two days, police from the Anti-Kidnapping section tracked and recovered 22 of the stolen cows. The main suspect is still on the run.
“This operation is a testament to the capacity and responsiveness of the Police Command in Ondo State to tackle organised crime through strategic intelligence-led policing,” Lawal said. He promised that the police will continue to go after all criminal gangs operating in the state.
