40-year-old man arrested over murder of Ondo chief

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Police Command has taken a 40-year-old man, Stephen Edokpolor, into custody over the fatal shooting of High Chief Akinola Kinwalere in Ayeka, Okitipupa Local Government Area.

In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the incident happened on October 5, 2026, during the burial of High Chief Oduwo.

Jimoh explained that the arrest followed a report from a concerned member of the public, prompting officers at the Okitipupa Divisional Police Headquarters to move to the scene.

Police findings reportedly linked Edokpolor to the shooting, with investigators alleging that he used a locally made gun during the burial gathering.

The weapon was retrieved by officers and preserved as evidence, while the arrested man was being questioned to assist detectives in their inquiries.

The command said investigators were working to uncover what led to the shooting and establish other details surrounding the chief’s death.

Reacting, the Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, praised the officers’ response and said the command would pursue the case in line with the law.

The police appealed to residents to avoid circulating unconfirmed accounts of the incident, offering condolences to Kinwalere’s family and the Okitipupa community while urging anyone with useful information to contact the authorities.