The Ekitì State Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo has reviewed the activities of the police force in the state in 2025 saying, crime rate in Ekiti state has reduced drastically compared to year 2024. He made this known in a media chat with journalists in the state on Tuesday at the officer’s mess while trying to strategically brainstorm on how to make the coming year 2026 better.
While acknowledging the role played by the media to make this feat attainable, the Commissioner of Police said, “Undoubtedly, you are one of our greatest and best partners this year – 2025. Your roles and importance as the Fourth Estate of the Realm cannot be overemphasized. Your role in ensuring prompt and adequate dissemination of happenings/incidents, informing members of the public about the Command’s activities and achievements, defusing tension and other feedbacks through constructive criticism have helped shape our activities for a more effective and efficient policing.
“Indeed, the Media is our friend.Ekiti State being adjudged as the most safe and peaceful State in the Country is not by magic or rocket science. It is through the support and collaborative effort of all the law-abiding citizens and residents of the State, especially our stakeholders, which include all the Sister Agencies, the traditional leaders, the religious leaders, youth organizations, Civil Society Organizations, and of course the media, amongst others.
“I want to also acknowledge the tremendous and constant support and co-operation received from my officers which have helped us to achieve a lot of breakthroughs this year.I want to equally appreciate and acknowledge the support and cooperation received from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Gov. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, as well as our indefatigable Inspector General of Police; IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM. We would ever remain grateful.”
Eribo said, there is no society that is completely free of crime, while the command is proud of drastic crime reduction in 2025, the Command still record pockets of opportunistic crimes such as rape, defilement, stealing, etc and few other heinous crimes such as kidnapping, abduction, murder and robbery.
He said further that while this pockets of crime are being committed, the response time of the command has always been swift, decisive and firm to confront the situations, ensure justice is served and reduce the chances of reoccurrence.
This technique according to the Commissioner has helped to drastically reduce crime rate in the State when compared with the previous year- 2024 in terms of heinous crimes.
“It would be worthy of note that the Command this year -2025 arrested a total of three thousand, four hundred and ninety (3,490) suspects for engaging in different degrees of crimes. These suspects were all investigated and prosecuted accordingly. These breakthroughs and achievements have kept the State peaceful, and also guaranteed a safer environment for all and sundry.” He said.
Speaking further, the Commissioner highlighted some of these achievements. One of such cases is that of conspiracy and armed robbery committed on November 30th, 2025. According to him, a dwelling house located at Ogo Oluwa Street, Ilawe road, Ado-Ekiti was burgled into by a gang of armed hoodlums. The suspects robbed the victim of his Boxer Bajaj motorcycle valued N960,000.00 and other valuables.
Upon receipt of the information, the Commissioner said, operatives of the RRS swung into action and arrested one Lohnan David, Sadul Thomas, Gwantin Babale and Raymond Ponsar. Upon arrest of the suspects, the stolen motorcycle was found in their possession and recovered. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the commission of the crime. They further confessed that they had earlier been involved in the stealing of over twenty motorcycles in Ado, Ikere and Iworoko-Ekiti respectively.
Another case is the arrest of suspected kidnappers on November 3rd, 2025. According to the Commissioner, upon a credible information, one Jeremiah Nwagh a.k.a Jerry was arrested in Itapaji-Ekiti. Investigation revealed that the suspect is an informant to kidnappers who aided the kidnapping of two workers at YSJ farms located in Oke Ako-Ekiti on 23rd, November this year.
He stated that further effort intensified by the RRS operatives led to the arrest of Jeremiah Johnson and Ajebe Atom who were also alleged to be informants to kidnappers.Suspects have been charged to court for prosecution.
The CP further highlighted a major humanitarian success recorded by the Command, where a young lady who stole a newborn baby was tracked, and the child was recovered and reunited with the parents within 24 hours, a development that brought relief and public confidence.
The police Commissioner said the Command will continue to improve on its strategies to stay ahead of criminal elements and ensure they are beaten to their games in order to ensure that the coming year- 2026 is better than the previous years.
“We shall ensure proactiveness and multifaceted approaches through visibility and confidence building patrols, raiding of criminal hideouts, stop and search operations. More so, the Command will build on the existing community and inclusive policing strategy by encouraging more collaboration, cooperation and information sharing.
“The use of technology in the fight against crimes and criminality cannot be undermined. The Command will also be deploying and taking advantage of the available technological equipment in our approach. As part of our homegrown solution to the problem of crime in the State, the Command will continue to engage in bush combing operations amongst other strategies to keep criminals at bay.
“As 2026 begins, remember to uphold your responsibilities and ethical principles that define your mandates. You must strive to be truthful and accurate at all times. Be independent and not act on behalf of special interests such as political, corporate or cultural. Minimize harm and embrace accountability. Be more prepared to inform, enlighten, entertain and educate the public on relevant issues. Give voice to the voiceless and hold power accountable. Remember, you are the “FOURTH ESTATE”, ensure that you strengthen democracy through your daily reportage.
“Above all, this is the era of Artificial Intelligence(AI), where misinformation, malinformation and fake news have become the order of the day, and more to come, if not tamed. The media must be prepared to deal with this time bomb as fast as possible. Do not be agents of fake news and misinformation. Get your facts before you publish. Discourage the alien culture of “first to break the news”. Be accurate and always balance your stories. Remember, delayed accurate news is better than a half-baked breaking news. Do not set the State on fire or cause unnecessary apprehension with your reports.
“Remember, we are partners in progress who work together to ensure a safer, better and healthier society for all and sundry.I have directed my Officers to prioritize the safety of lives and property of all citizens and residents of the State. While doing that, they must shun all forms of corrupt practices, be professional, be firm and ensure they respect the rights of all innocent citizens.” The commissioner said.
The Commissioner also carried out the decoration of four newly promoted officers comprising three male officers and one female officer who are; CSP Adeniran, Akinwumi CSP Ofanson Vincent, CSP Ogunleye Kehinde, CSP Falade Sesan Reuben.
Congratulating the newly promoted officers, he urged them to see their promotion as a call to greater responsibility, discipline, and commitment to duty. He however thanked God that no police officer was killed in the line of duty during the period under review.
