Police bust cattle theft ring in Ondo, arrest two suspects

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested two young men over their alleged involvement in cattle theft along the Ipele–Ifon axis of the state, following an operation by its Anti-Kidnapping Section.

The arrest was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who said the suspects were intercepted during a routine patrol.

According to the police, the suspects, Adamu Ilyasu, 25, and Ibrahim Sulaiman, 22, were apprehended on January 9, 2026, after they were found acting suspiciously in the area.

A search conducted on them reportedly led to the recovery of ₦67,500 in cash, which the police said the suspects could not reasonably explain.

Preliminary findings revealed that Ilyasu allegedly confessed to stealing two cows belonging to his father and selling them to an unidentified buyer.

The police added that further investigation showed the suspects had been involved in stealing cattle from Fulani herdsmen for over three years, selling the animals within and outside Ondo State.

It was also gathered that the suspects named other members of the theft ring, as detectives intensified efforts to track down and arrest their accomplices.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, assured residents that the command would sustain its crackdown on criminal activities, urging the public to continue supporting the police with credible information.