By Desire Emmanuel
The Ondo State Police Command on Monday, March 16, refuted the report by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) regarding the arrest of bandits at the Akure Airport.
The command said contrary to the public statement issued by FAAN, those arrested at a community close to the airport were kidnappers logistic suppliers and not bandits, adding that two persons were arrested and not four as claimed by FAAN.
It will be recalled that FAAN in the statement on Sunday said some suspected bandits were sighted at the airport and when security agencies went after them, they succeeded in arresting four of them.
However, in a statement issued by the command on Monday following the reaction the FAAN’s statement generated, the command said those that were picked up were never arrested at the airport.
The statement reads: “The Ondo State Police Command wishes to categorically refute the misleading reports currently circulating across some media platforms alleging that four bandits were arrested at the Akure Airport.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the command wishes to state clearly that no such incident occurred at the Akure Airport, and there was no security breach of any kind at the facility.
“The command, however, received credible intelligence from a concerned citizen regarding the activities of suspected kidnappers around the Eleyewo axis of Akure. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, operatives of the command launched a targeted operation in the area which led to the arrest of two suspects.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are kidnappers logistics suppliers aiding kidnapping activities within the state.
“They have since made useful confessional statements that are currently aiding ongoing investigations and efforts to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
“The Ondo State Police Command therefore urges members of the public to disregard the inaccurate reports suggesting that bandits were arrested at the Akure Airport, as such claims are false, misleading and capable of causing unnecessary panic.
“The command further reassures residents that security around critical infrastructure, including the airport, remains intact and non compromised. Members of the public are encouraged to continue with their lawful activities without fear and to always provide timely and credible information to security agencies.”
