The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers and recovered two locally made guns in separate operations in Akure, the state capital.
The arrests followed security operations conducted by operatives of the 'B' Division Surveillance Patrol Team and the Okuta Elerinla Division on October 13 and 19, respectively.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, adding that the operations were part of the command’s intensified efforts to curb armed robbery and other violent crimes in the state.
Jimoh said the first suspect, identified as 32-year-old Oliver Bamidele, was arrested on October 13 during a stop-and-search operation along the Idanre Road axis of Akure. A search reportedly led to the recovery of a cut-to-size locally made gun concealed in his possession.
The statement added that Bamidele was taken into custody for questioning and reportedly admitted ownership of the firearm. Police said investigations would establish the source of the weapon and its intended use before the suspect and the recovered exhibit were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
In a separate operation on October 19, police operatives on patrol around the Madam Do Good area of Oyemekun Road, Akure, intercepted two individuals riding a blue TVS motorcycle under suspicious circumstances.
A search reportedly led to the recovery of another cut-to-size locally made pistol. One of the individuals allegedly fled during the operation, while the other, identified as 35-year-old Levis Prince, was arrested.
The police said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and determine whether the recovered firearm was linked to any criminal activity.
The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, commended the operatives for their vigilance and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing, strategic patrols and stop-and-search operations.
He urged residents to support security efforts, assuring them that the command would sustain its crackdown on armed robbery and other crimes across the state.
