The Ondo State Police Command and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have presented separate details over the arrest of four bandits over the weekend at the Akure airport.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal said there were no time bandits attempted to attack and that no suspected criminals were arrested by the airport’s Aviation Security (AVSEC).
But FAAN had, through its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, explain that gunmen suspected to be bandits were arrested around the vicinity of the Akure Airport, with four of them arrested by AVSEC in collaboration with other security agencies.
Agbebire, in a statement, said the bandits were apprehended following a distress alert about the movement of unknown persons around the airport perimeter.
He added that a coordinated security operation involving aviation and local security agencies was swiftly activated, leading to the arrest of the bandits.
But while speaking with newsmen during the show of force by security personnel in Akure, the Commissioner of Police said that a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are kidnap logistics suppliers aiding kidnapping activities within the state.
Lawal said that the suspects were identified as Alhassan Muhammad, 20, and Faruq Sanni, 25, who he said were residents of Sabon-Sango, Akure.
He said that one of the suspects, who operates as a commercial motorcyclist, had been assisting kidnappers in the area by procuring and delivering food items and other supplies to their hideouts.
The police commissioner said that FAAN never participated in the arrest of the suspects, adding that there was no security breach of any sort at the airport.
He described the airport authority’s stance as false and misleading.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the state security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, has confirmed that “in the initial arrests carried out yesterday (Sunday) by Amotekun, the police and officers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, four suspects were arrested.
