Four arrested in Ondo over alleged rituals, kidnapping, robbery
By Boye Oyeyemi –
Operatives of the SWAT unit of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested four suspects allegedly linked to a series of kidnapping, robbery and ritual-related activities in Ogbese.
The suspects, led by Ifeoluwa Julius, were reportedly on the command’s watch list following intelligence suggesting their involvement in violent crimes.
According to the police, fresh intelligence indicated that the group had recently returned from a trip where they procured charms for self-fortification. Acting on the information, SWAT operatives launched a coordinated operation on the outskirts of Ogbese and arrested the four men.
An expended cartridge, fetish items and a blood-stained red-and-white cloth were said to have been recovered from Julius during the operation.
DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola stated that Julius confessed to being a ritualist and admitted, along with his gang members, to involvement in several kidnapping incidents around Ogbese.
He added that the commissioner of police commended the operatives for the successful operation and reaffirmed that Ondo State would not be allowed to serve as a safe haven for criminal activities.
The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations, the police said.
