The Kwara State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on violent crime, announcing the arrest of 16 suspects and the recovery of a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and logistics linked to criminal networks across the state in April.
The Command disclosed that the operations, targeting kidnapping and other violent offences, led to the seizure of 98 rounds of ammunition, including 20 assault rounds and 78 AK-47 rounds, alongside additional live ammunition. Security operatives also recovered multiple locally fabricated firearms, including a shotgun, a cut-to-size shotgun, a pistol, and a revolver rifle, as well as a Toyota Matrix vehicle and several mobile communication devices believed to have been used in coordinating criminal activities.
In a related development, police operatives successfully carried out a high-risk rescue operation at Apata Aje settlement, where a suspected bandit was neutralised during a gun duel. The operation followed credible intelligence received on April 28, 2026, at about 11:00 p.m., indicating that armed men had invaded the community and abducted two residents.
Acting swiftly, a combined team of police operatives and National Forest Guards launched a coordinated search-and-rescue mission into the surrounding forest. During an intensive bush-combing exercise, the team encountered the fleeing suspects, who opened fire on security personnel.
In the ensuing exchange, one of the suspected bandits was killed, while others reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds. Items recovered from the scene and linked operations included live cartridges, expended ammunition, mobile phones—among them a Samsung A2S—and suspected criminal charms, further underscoring the organised nature of the criminal group.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the abducted victims, as well as track down the fleeing suspects believed to be injured during the confrontation.
The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to sustain pressure on criminal elements operating within the state. He emphasised the police’s commitment to dismantling kidnapping and banditry networks through intelligence-led operations and strategic collaboration with other security agencies.
