The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed the arrest of four suspected bandits around Akure Airport in Ondo State following a joint security operation by aviation and local security agencies.
FAAN disclosed this in a statement on Sunday issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, who said the suspects were apprehended after security operatives received a distress alert about suspicious movements behind the airport perimeter near the Eleyewo community, Akure North, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Agbebire explained that the coordinated operation involved FAAN Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel and other security agencies stationed at the airport.
According to him, the operation was launched after reports of suspicious activities around the airport’s perimeter prompted an immediate response from security operatives.
He said personnel of FAAN Aviation Security, the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and local security outfits carried out a joint search operation in the area.
Agbebire added that some of the suspects attempted to escape on sighting the security operatives, but four of them were successfully apprehended during the operation.
The arrested suspects, he said, have been handed over to the police Area Command for further interrogation and investigation.
The FAAN spokesman commended the collaboration among aviation security personnel, the military, the police, the Amotekun Corps and community vigilantes, noting that their joint efforts led to the successful arrest.
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He also disclosed that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has stepped up measures to strengthen security at airports nationwide, including the installation of modern perimeter fencing and improved surveillance systems.
Agbebire assured air travellers and host communities that FAAN remains committed to protecting airport facilities across the country.
Meanwhile, the police in Ondo State also confirmed the arrest of suspected bandits around the airport area in Eleyewo in Akure North Local Government Area as part of ongoing efforts to curb rising criminal activities in the area.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abayomi Jimoh, said the arrests were made during security surveillance around the airport axis of Eleyewo, a community that has recorded several attacks in recent months.
Jimoh further disclosed that the command arrested two suspected collaborators linked to a kidnapping syndicate operating in the Ilu-Abo community, Ondo State, Nigeria and neighbouring areas.
The suspects, identified as Alhassan Muhammad, 20, and Faruq Muhammad Sanni, 25, both residents of Sabon-Sango in Akure, were arrested on Sunday following credible intelligence from a member of the community.
According to the police spokesperson, intelligence reports indicated that one of the suspects, a commercial motorcyclist, had been assisting kidnappers by purchasing and delivering food and other supplies to their forest hideouts.
He said operatives of the police Anti-Kidnapping Squad acted swiftly on the information, leading to a targeted operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspects, while other members of the gang fled the scene.
Jimoh added that the suspects are currently in police custody and have made useful statements to investigators, which are aiding efforts to track down other members of the syndicate.
Eleyewo and several communities in Akure North Local Government Area have witnessed a series of bandit attacks and kidnappings since the beginning of the year, raising concerns among residents and prompting intensified security patrols in the area.