Month: July 2025

20 Suspects Arrested as Kwara Launches Tight Security Operations Across Ifelodun, Edu, Patigi

No fewer than 20 individuals, including suspected gun runners and their logistics supporters, have been arrested in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State as part of a renewed crackdown on criminal networks in the region.

The arrests come amid heightened security operations targeting notorious flashpoints in the state. According to an intelligence report on Wednesday, the operation was launched at the instance of the Kwara State Government in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser.

It involves the deployment of nearly 400 special security operatives across Ifelodun, Ekiti, Edu, Patigi, and other strategic locations along Kwara’s borders with Kogi and Niger States.

“We are to have these local governments on a lockdown. The operation is just getting underway, and we have more than 20 arrests already. The suspects are giving useful information, and many of them were caught with ammunitions and supplies meant for the criminals around Babanla (Ifelodun),” the report disclosed.

Ten of the arrested suspects have already been moved to Abuja alongside the recovered ammunition for further interrogation. Authorities believe this will help dismantle wider supply chains supporting criminal activities in the region.

The intelligence report also confirmed that the intensified pressure on criminal groups has led to the unconditional release of several captives who had been held in the forests. This development, officials say, signals early success for the operation and underscores the resolve of security agencies to restore peace in Kwara’s troubled areas.

A government source revealed that the crackdown is being carried out in close coordination with security formations in neighboring states. “The operation is only starting from Ifelodun. We are also moving to Edu and Patigi, while the Eruku axis is on lockdown to ensure these criminals do not escape to Kogi. Border communities around Niger are also being monitored,” the source explained.

The renewed security drive follows recent assurances by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq that no effort will be spared in flushing out criminal gangs from the forests and restoring calm to affected communities. The governor had earlier promised that the state would work with federal authorities to ensure sustained security presence in the hotspots.

Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement of unknown persons to security agencies. Authorities believe community cooperation will be crucial to the success of the ongoing operation and the long-term safety of the region.

Police Arrest Man for Attempting to Bribe Investigators with ₦1.5m to Free Suspected Kidnapper in FCT

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested one Yahaya Saleh for allegedly attempting to bribe investigators to secure the release of a suspected kidnapper under investigation.

Commissioner of Police, CP Saka Ajao Adewale, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters. He said the 40-year-old suspect offered ₦1.5 million to investigators handling the case of a kidnapping syndicate operating within the FCT and surrounding areas.

According to the CP, the arrest followed a discreet operation by officers of the command’s Scorpion Squad.

“The suspect approached the police investigators and offered the bribe as an inducement to compromise the case and unlawfully release one of the arrested suspects,” Adewale said.

He added that the officers, demonstrating professionalism and integrity, rejected the offer and immediately initiated legal procedures leading to Saleh’s arrest. The CP assured the public that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Adewale commended the officers involved in the operation for their conduct and reiterated the command’s zero-tolerance stance against corruption and any interference with the course of justice.