Police detectives in Ondo state, have arrested a notorious gun runner, local arms fabricator and three others who supplied criminal networks across across four states.
A statement by the states police spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, in Akure, said that the notorious gunrunner has long been on the commands watchlist.Ayanlade said that the suspect, was responsible ” for manufacturing and supplying firearms to criminal networks.
According to him, it “has been confirmed to operate not only within Ondo State but also across state lines, extending his illegal dealings to Osun, Kogi, Edo, and Kwara States. “The arrest of this key figure marks a major step forward in dismantling the chain of supply that has fueled violent crimes such as armed robbery and other unlawful activities across the region.”
Already, four suspects linked to the case have been arraigned in court on charges bordering on armed robbery and attempted murder, while further efforts are ongoing to track down other fleeing members of the syndicate and ensure that all collaborators are brought to justice.
Ayanlade said that “the breakthrough stems from a case of armed robbery reported in Irele town, where a female victim was dispossessed of her unregistered TVS motorcycle, the sum of M250,000 and other valuables and was also shot in her right leg.“Acting swiftly, operatives of the Command arrested one of the suspects in Irele, before tracking and apprehending two others at a hotel in Ore, thereby setting the stage for a wider investigation.
“Building on these initial arrests, the Command intensified its efforts and, in the course of investigation, recorded a landmark success with the arrest of a notorious gunrunner and local arms fabricator.
Ayanlade vowed that “There will be no hiding place for criminals in Ondo State.”
We shall continue to pursue them, dismantle their networks, and ensure that peace and security prevail across every community.”He called on members of the public to continue supporting the Police by providing timely and credible information that can aid in the prevention of crime.
Ayanlade assured that ” All information volunteered will be treated with the utmost confidentiality as the Police and the community work together to secure a safer Ondo State”.
