Police deploy 'tactical team' to Ondo communities over rising kidnappings
…begins forest combing, orders 24 hours stop and search in Ilu-Abo, Ogbese, others The Ondo State State Police Command has intensified operational strategies and deployed additional security assets to strengthen
...begins forest combing, orders 24 hours stop and search in Ilu-Abo, Ogbese, others
The Ondo State State Police Command has intensified operational strategies and deployed additional security assets to strengthen safety in vulnerable communities, particularly Ilu-Abo in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Adebowale Lawal disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing protesting residents of Ilu-Abo, where assessed the security situation firsthand and engaged with community leaders and other stakeholders in the troubled community.
CP Lawal, according to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Abayomi, said the command was fully aware of the grievances of residents and assured them that concerted efforts were ongoing to address the prevailing security challenges in the area.
He urged the protesters to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the Police and other security agencies were working tirelessly to restore normalcy and ensure the safety of all residents.
"Following recent security concerns within the Ilu-Abo, Ayede, Ogbese axis and adjoining communities, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Adebowale Lawal, psc(+), mnips, has ordered the immediate deployment and establishment of a Tactical Team Base to be stationed at Ilu-Abo.
"The decision is part of proactive measures aimed at strengthening security presence, deterring criminal activities and ensuring swift response to any security threat in the area," DSP Abayomi quoted the police boss in the copy of the statement obtained by The Nation.
Abayomi explained that the newly deployed tactical team comprises specially trained operatives drawn from the Command’s elite units, including anti-kidnapping operatives and other tactical formations.
He said the team would operate on a 24-hour basis, carrying out intensive patrols, surveillance operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated operations within Ilu-Abo, Ayede, Ogbese and surrounding communities.
In addition to the deployment, Abayomi said the command has also intensified joint security operations, stop-and-search exercises, forest combing operations and intelligence-led raids targeting criminal hideouts and suspected kidnapping networks operating within forested and boundary communities.
"These measures are designed to dismantle criminal syndicates and prevent criminals from using the terrain as safe havens," the statement added.
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He added that the police boss has also directed all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) within the affected axis and neighbouring divisions to work closely with the tactical team, local vigilantes, hunters and other community-based security stakeholders to ensure effective intelligence sharing and prompt response to security concerns.
The police spokesman said the command has also advised jittery residents in troubled communities to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and actionable information that could assist ongoing operations.
"The Ondo State Police Command wishes to emphasise that kidnapping and other violent crimes will not be tolerated in any part of the state, and decisive actions will continue to be taken to bring perpetrators to justice.
"Residents are also advised to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious movement or activities within their communities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines," the statement noted.
