The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun has arrested 32 suspected kidnappers and 26 others for various criminal activities in the state within a week.
Parading the suspects at the weekend in Akure, the state Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, revealed that they were nabbed in Akure North, Akure South, Ose, and Akoko local government areas.
Adeleye who clarified that, the suspects, are currently undergoing interrogation said operatives of the Corps mobilised reinforcement from neighbouring local governments to launch operations into these criminal enclaves.
His words: “In recent times, we have an upsurge of criminal activities kidnapping inclusive in Ondo State. The officers and men of the Ondo State security network mobilized additional support from the neighboring local government and entered into the forest reserves and areas noted for these nefarious activities. In the last one week, we were able to arrest 32 suspects for kidnapping that are undergoing different stages of interrogation. We have a total of 58 men that we are parading today.”
He assured residents that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, remains committed to flushing out criminals from both forests and urban centres.
“We want to reassure the residents of Ondo State that with the effort put in place by the government of Ondo State, whereby all security agencies were drafted to flush out these criminals from their hideouts, we will achieve a very safe community.
“As a result of the recent killings in the Akure North axis, officers and men from all security agencies, including Amotekun, have been parading the area and I’m glad to let you know that as we talk, normalcy has been restored in those areas. We are talking about Ago Dada, Ago Iyinbo, Ago Ademekun and its environs.
“We want to reassure the residents that they can continue their normal farming activities as the government has established a joint task force to stabilize the very remote areas of Akure North, where these nefarious activities take place. The government is also making efforts to open up the routes in the area such that response can occur in case of emergency.”
The Amotekun Commander noted that the corps has invited the leadership of Miyetti Allah, to flush out bad eggs among them to make the state peaceful
“In order to drive home our points, the leadership of Miyetti Allah, were invited, you can see them here, and they had pledged to support the Corps in fishing out the bad eggs to such an extent that both the forest and the cities, the towns in the state will be safe. With this, we need the support of the good people of the state to join hands with government and the security agencies in giving us timely and actionable information once any suspicious movement is seen.”
In addition, Adeleye said, “we have observed over a long period that trucks bringing foodstuffs and other things from the upper part comes in with hundreds of people coming down south without knowing where they are going, they just rush into the vehicle and become nuisance, since they don’t have home, they don’t know anybody, nobody invited them.
“So, they have agreed to inform the owners of the trucks that the state will not tolerate more than five people per trailer accompanying the loads, and security agencies at the borders have been so informed to send those vehicles with goods and human being in hundreds back to where they’re coming from.”
