The Ondo State Police Command has intensified its offensive against kidnapping and other violent crimes, with Commissioner of Police Felix Ohagwu personally leading a large-scale security operation into the Ilu-Abo Forest and surrounding communities in a bid to flush out criminal elements from the state.
The operation, conducted on June 13, 2026, saw the police chief, accompanied by tactical commanders and operatives, carry out an extensive sweep of the forest, which security authorities identified as a potential haven for kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and other criminal groups.
According to the Command, the operation formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen security across Ondo State and dismantle criminal networks operating within remote forest corridors and vulnerable communities. Security personnel combed through identified flashpoints and suspected criminal enclaves during the exercise.
Police authorities disclosed that several suspected hideouts were discovered and destroyed during the operation. Makeshift camps and structures believed to have been used by criminal elements were dismantled, while operatives conducted intensive searches across the forest to prevent the re-establishment of the camps.
The Command said the exercise was designed to disrupt criminal activities, restrict the movement of criminal gangs and reinforce public confidence in the state’s security architecture amid ongoing efforts to combat violent crimes.
Addressing officers and men during the operation, CP Ohagwu reaffirmed the Command’s determination to adopt proactive and intelligence-led policing strategies in tackling insecurity across the state.
According to the police chief, “Forests and remote locations within the State will not be allowed to serve as sanctuaries for kidnappers and other criminal elements.”
He assured residents that the Ondo State Police Command would continue to sustain aggressive operations across identified criminal hotspots and maintain pressure on criminal groups threatening peace and security.
The Commissioner further noted that the operation aligns with the strategic directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, aimed at strengthening internal security and combating violent crimes across the country.
CP Ohagwu also commended the professionalism, resilience and dedication displayed by officers involved in the operation, urging them to sustain the momentum until criminal threats within the state are effectively neutralised.
The Ondo State Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property and called on residents to support security agencies with credible and timely information capable of aiding ongoing security operations.
Authorities expressed confidence that sustained intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with local communities would further enhance security and deny criminal elements safe havens within the state.
