The Ondo State Police Command has disclosed that no fewer than 2,500 suspects were arrested across the state in 2025 over offences ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, vandalism and drug-related crimes. The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this on Friday at the Police Headquarters in Akure, during a briefing to journalists on the command’s activities in the previous year. Lawal further revealed that 250 suspects were arrested for unlawful possession of substances suspected to be hard drugs, while 1,434 others were apprehended for various other offences. The police commissioner attributed the successes recorded by the command to collective efforts and the support of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. He noted that Ondo State enjoyed relative peace during the period under review due to proactive policing strategies and intelligence-led operations carried out in collaboration with sister security agencies.

Source: The Guardian January 16, 2026 17:08 UTC