The police command in Ondo says the four suspects arrested at Akure airport in Ondo are not bandits but logistics suppliers to kidnappers.
In a statement on Monday, Abayomi Jimoh, Ondo police spokesperson, rejected the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) report that four bandits were arrested behind the Akure airport perimeter near Eleyewo community.
FAAN, in a statement late Sunday, had said the bandits were apprehended following a “coordinated security operation involving aviation and local security agencies”.
“During the operation, some individuals were seen attempting to flee the area. Four suspects were eventually apprehended by the joint security team and have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Area Command for further interrogation,” FAAN had said.
In a counter statement however, Jimoh asked the public to disregard “inaccurate reports suggesting that bandits” were arrested at the Akure airport.
The Ondo police spokesperson said the arrested kidnappers’ logistic suppliers have made “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.
“The command, however, received credible intelligence from a concerned citizen regarding the activities of suspected kidnappers around the Eleyewo axis of Akure.
“Acting swiftly on the tip-off, operatives of the Command launched a targeted operation in the area which led to the arrest of two suspects.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspects are Kidnap Logistics Suppliers aiding kidnap activities within the state.
“They have since made useful confessional statements that are currently aiding ongoing investigations and efforts to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
“The Ondo state police command therefore urges members of the public to disregard the inaccurate reports suggesting that bandits were arrested at the Akure Airport, as such claims are false, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary panic.”
Speaking with journalists in Akure, Adebowale Lawal, commissioner of police in the state, said the report that four bandits were arrested at the airport was inaccurate.
“Let me quickly debunk that issue of arrest of four bandits. We don’t have bandits in Ondo state. We have criminals, not bandits,” Lawal said.
The police chief explained that the command only arrested two suspects believed to be logistics suppliers aiding kidnappers operating within parts of the state.
“Two suspected logistics suppliers to those criminals and kidnappers were arrested along the Eleyewo and Ilu-Abo axis. One other suspect was arrested at Ilu-Abo but was not connected to the first two,” he said.
Lawal insisted that none of the suspects was arrested inside the airport facility as suggested in FAAN’s statement.
“So they were never arrested at the airport, contrary to the press statement made by the FAAN management staff,” he added.
Asked if the police were directly disputing FAAN’s account of the incident, the commissioner responded: “Yes, of course. We carried out the operation. So they were not there. They were not arrested inside the airport.”
He further clarified that the suspects were only taken close to the airport area during the investigation after being compelled to lead security operatives to other possible hideouts.
“They were leading them to where others were. So they were not actually arrested at the airport,” Lawal added.
Since the turn of the year, Ondo state has witnessed a surge in violent attacks, leading to deaths and abduction of residents.
On March 3, protesters from Ayede Ogbese community, in Akure north LGA of Ondo, blocked the popular Akure-Owo-Benin highway over incessant killings and abductions in their community.
On March 10, residents of Ilu-Abo and neighbouring communities in Akure North LGA of Ondo, barricaded the Akure-Owo expressway, in protest against rising cases of kidnapping in the area.
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