ONDO POLICE BUST NOTORIOUS FOUR-MAN ROBBERY SYNDICATE, RECOVER STOLEN VEHICLE AND LIVESTOCK WORTH N41M

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Ondo State Police Command has dismantled a notorious four-man armed robbery syndicate responsible for a series of violent attacks and vehicle thefts across Akure, Owo, and neighboring areas.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Akure, the State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, announced the breakthrough as part of the command’s recent achievements over a two-week period.

Lawal revealed that the gang was apprehended following a robbery incident reported on June 27 in Akure, where the suspects made away with a vehicle and several valuables.

“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the command’s Tactical Intelligence and Response Squad (TIRS) tracked and arrested two principal suspects outside Ondo State,” Lawal stated.

Subsequent operations led to the capture of two additional gang members, including a suspected habitual buyer of stolen goods. Preliminary investigations indicate the group is part of a broader network specializing in car snatching and trafficking.

The Commissioner confirmed the recovery of several stolen items, including a vehicle and multiple mobile phones. Efforts are ongoing to trace more stolen property and apprehend other accomplices, including a suspected arms supplier who remains at large.

In a separate development, the police also recovered livestock worth over N41 million stolen by an employee identified as Ali Garuba Muhammed. The suspect was reported missing by his employer, Fasua Oyeleye, after allegedly fleeing with 55 cattle and eight rams on July 1.

Lawal disclosed that a swift operation by the Anti-Kidnapping section of the command led to the recovery of 22 cows within 48 hours, although the primary suspect is still on the run.

“These operations underscore the command’s capacity for strategic, intelligence-driven policing. We remain fully committed to dismantling all criminal networks operating in the state,” the Commissioner affirmed.

Lawal assured residents that the command will continue to pursue all threats to public safety with renewed vigor.