Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Ondo State Government has moved to distance Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from a man arrested over the alleged possession of illicit drugs and a firearm, insisting that the suspect holds no political appointment in the administration. The statement, issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, came after multiple reports identified the suspect as Hon. Ware Ojo, popularly known as "Aruwe, Authority 001," and described him as a recently appointed aide to the governor.
The government's denial was brief and categorical. "For the record, the young man in the report is not an aide to His Excellency, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. He holds no political appointment in this administration," Adeniyan said. The statement also called on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure due process is followed. But the denial raises as many questions as it answers, particularly given the conflicting accounts that have emerged from the incident itself.
According to reports, the Ondo State Police Command arrested Ojo and his wife at their residence in Oka-Akoko, where operatives allegedly recovered substances suspected to be cocaine, methamphetamine, opium and other illicit drugs valued at more than ₦30 million. A locally fabricated firearm was also reportedly recovered during the operation, alongside a Lexus RX 350 SUV with registration number AUTHORITY 01. The scale of the alleged recovery suggested a significant operation, and the involvement of a figure who had been publicly associated with the governor's political circle made the case immediately explosive.
What happened next deepened the mystery. According to SaharaReporters, Ojo was released from police custody after the Divisional Police Officer of Oka-Akoko Division, SP Makanjuola Damilola, received a telephone call from Governor Aiyedatiwa. The exhibits recovered during the operation, including the suspected drugs and firearm, were retained by the police. The governor has not publicly commented on the allegation that he intervened to secure the suspect's release. If the man is not an aide, as the government now insists, the nature of the relationship that would prompt a sitting governor to personally call a DPO remains unexplained.
The incident also took a violent turn. Following Ojo's arrest, some individuals allegedly attacked the police station in protest against his detention. Two officers, Sergeant Abiodun and Inspector Osha, were reportedly injured and taken to Faith Hospital in Oka-Akoko for medical treatment. The attack on a police station is a serious criminal offence, and the fact that it was allegedly carried out by supporters of a man who had just been arrested on drug and firearm charges points to a network that felt emboldened enough to confront law enforcement directly.
The Ondo State Police Command has been conspicuously silent. The spokesperson, Jimoh Abayomi, did not respond to calls or a text message seeking comment. The police have yet to clarify the circumstances surrounding Ojo's arrest, the alleged attack on their personnel, or his subsequent release. The government's call for a thorough investigation is welcome, but it rings hollow when the police have not explained why a suspect in a ₦30 million drug and firearm case was released so quickly and without any public accounting.
The case has drawn attention to the broader question of political patronage and its intersection with criminality. Whether Ojo was an aide or simply a political associate, the reported intervention by the governor to secure his release—if confirmed—would represent a troubling use of executive influence. If the allegations against Ojo are false, he deserves to be cleared. If they are true, he deserves to face the law. What the public deserves is a transparent investigation that establishes both the facts of the case and the basis for his release.
For now, the Ondo State Government has drawn a clear line: the man is not an aide. But the line between political association and official appointment is often blurred in Nigerian politics, and the government's denial has not answered the question at the heart of the controversy. If Ware Ojo was not an aide, why did a governor allegedly call a DPO about his release? The police have the evidence and the records. The investigation called for by the government is the only way to establish the truth. Until then, the suspicion will linger, and the silence of the police will speak louder than any denial.
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