Kidnapping: Ondo Police deploys 3,000 officers to troubled spots

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

The Ondo State Police Command on Thursday disclosed that over 3,000 officers have been deployed to various parts of the state to carry out special patrols on the highways till next month.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state Police Command, Femi Joseph, said the deployment would prevent criminal activities, especially kidnapping on major highways across the state.

The police officers would patrol troubled spots along Ikare-Owo road where the wife of a traditional ruler was recently kidnapped, the spokesman said.

Related: Involve traditional rulers in tackling security challenges –Olomu

He added that the police officers would be on the road till the first of January due to the heavy flow of traffic on most state roads during end of year period.

Joseph said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Adie Undie, had held a series of security meetings with top officers of the Command on how to tackle kidnapping during and after the festive period.

The police spokesman, who expressed sadness over the resurgence of kidnapping of travelers on Owo-Ikare-Akoko road, assured that the police would rescue those abducted on the highway last weekend.

Joseph noted that police would also be deployed to other strategic areas in the state to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

He said: “The Ondo State Police Command once again reassures the people of the state of adequate security during this period. We also want to state that the kidnap incident that happened few days ago along Owo-Ikare road after a long period of peace and normalcy in that axis of the state is being tackled head-on by our officers who have been charged to not only rescue the victims unhurt, but also arrest the perpetrators of this wicked act.

“People should not entertain any anxiety as we have increased our manpower deployment across the state, and have also directed our intelligence department to improve their activities on crime prevention.