Ondo State Police Command has arrested 18 persons for various criminal activities in the state.
The suspects were said to have involved in cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, attempted murder, and robbery, among others.
The state commissioner of police, Mr Abiodun Asabi, on Tuesday at the command Headquarters, Akure, while parading the suspects said they were arrested at different locations across the state.
According to the police boss, the suspects include Monday Joseph, Omowaye Tope, Olulayo Moyoloye, Ajayi Eniola, Ademoyegun Paul, Ayodele Raphael and Abdullahi Jose.
Others are Gabriel Japhet, Osha Phenus, Gbenga Timothy, Blessing Okon, Esther Ufeli Adebisi Olorunleke, Sunday Akinfisoye, Ayogu Ikenna, Ayodele Samuel, Yusuf Moshood and Olamiposi Akeem.
Asabi said the arrest was made possible through the intelligence gathering with the use of modern-day security equipment.
Mentioning some of the cases, the CP said, “On the 15th of October 2023, the police was reliably informed that a cultist was hiding at Ala Elefosho, near Akure. Men of SWAT moved into the area and this led to the arrest of one Monday Joseph, who confessed to being a cultist with a locally made single baretal gun recovered from his house.
“On the 23rd of October, 2023, at about 9pm, a team of Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, attached to Ikare Akoko, while on routine patrol, arrested one Omowaye Tope of Ilepa, Ikare, and a mini Barreta Pistol with one live ammunition was found in his possession.”
He added, “On the same day, one Olulayo Moyoloye of Kidimo camp, via Irele, attempted to behead his brother one Daniel Moyoloye with a sharpened cutlass. The suspect chopped off the left arm of his brother used to defend the cutlass.
“The suspect who absconded from the farm was arrested few days after the incident. The suspect claimed his brother accused him of stealing his palm fruit, and this led to a heated argument between them, and out of anger, he brought out a cutlass and macheted his left arm and immediately fled into the bush.”
Some of the arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects include one locally made single barrel, two cutlasses, one barretal pistol, one double barrel gun, four dane guns, two human hands, an ATM card and six expended cartridges
The commissioner said all the suspects had confessed to the commission of the crimes, and they would soon be charged in court.