Church Kidnap/ ward congress: Ondo Police arrest 24 suspects

2026-02-27 - 20:38

— Suspend night worship, police tell church leaders — Another victim of ward congress violence dies —-We arrest suspects when they come out to buy food By Dayo Johnson Akure No fewer than 24 suspected kidnappers and political thugs have been arrested by the Ondo State Police over the abduction of six worshippers at a church in Uso , Owo council areas of the state and the violence that erupted in ldanre area of the state. Briefing newmen in Akure, on the activities of the command, the state police Commissioner Adebowale Lawal, said that the suspects were arrested through a joint operation involving police operatives, the Nigerian Army and local volunteer groups, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police. Eleven of the suspects were arrested in connection with the abduction of the worshippers at a Celestial Church in Uso community while 13 suspects were arrested over the violence in ldanre during the ward congress. Lawal said that six worshippers, including a pregnant woman and a mentally challenged person were abducted from the church premises during the attack and were taken to an unknown destination. The command, according to him swiftly deployed tactical teams and intelligence assets to comb surrounding forests in the communities immediately after receiving the report of the incident. He said the sustained operation, Lawal noted, led to the rescue of one of the victims and the arrest of 11 suspects believed to be connected to the crime. The Commissioner said that the suspects are currently undergoing interrogation and have provided useful information that is aiding ongoing efforts to dismantle the criminal network responsible for the abduction. He assured that operations are continuing to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and the arrest of other fleeing members of the gang. Lawal, who noted that although there have been pockets of criminal activities in some parts of the state in recent times, “intelligence-driven policing strategies, strategic deployments and proactive patrols have led to significant progress in containment, arrests and recovery of exhibits.” He said that “efforts are being intensified to consolidate these gains and prevent any recurrence of criminal activities across the state.” Lawal however, called on religious leaders across the state to reconsider and moderate late-night worship activities in view of prevailing security concerns. He advised them to adopt proactive safety measures, avoid exposing congregants to unnecessary risks and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to security agencies. The Commissioner said that “the state government has issued an executive order mandating places of worship to install Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to enhance surveillance and support crime prevention efforts. “Residents were encouraged to remain vigilant and continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations. On the violent incident in Idanre, duringthe ward congress, Lawal 13 suspects are currently in custody and will soon be arraigned in court. Lawal added that some victims are still receiving treatment in hospitals following the attacks. ” Two victims sustained injuries at the APC secretariat and others were injured at Idanre, unfortunately, we lost three people. Two died the same day, while one later died while receiving treatment,” Answering queries over rising cases of kidnapping in Akure and its environs, the commissioner said that “Security is a collective responsibility. It is not the duty of the police alone or the military alone; everyone must be involved,” The command, he said has established an outpost at Iluabo and has engaged the brigade commander to strengthen security architecture in the area. “There was a suggestion to activate vigilante groups and mount stop-and-search points, but we must also consider public complaints about too many checkpoints on highways such as Akure-Owo and Owo-Abuja. “They are positioned in a way that their identities are not exposed. We are not parading them publicly, but we want the public to be assured that arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing. “We cannot physically cover every community at once. In some locations, the terrain makes rapid response difficult. The Commissioner said “While we support development, communities must incorporate security planning into their expansion. No community is entirely crime-free, but we are doing our best,”