The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested no fewer than 51 suspected criminals in the state.
The command said that the suspects were arrested across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, including the forests in the state.
The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, was established in 2020 as part of a broader regional security initiative by governors of the South-West states.
The outfit was created in response to rising insecurity in the region, particularly cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, herder-farmer clashes, and banditry spilling over from other parts of the country.
Parading the suspects at the corps headquarters in Akure, the state capital, on Friday, the state corps commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the suspects were arrested for various crimes, including kidnapping, breach of law and order, anti-open grazing, rape, human trafficking, among others.
According to him, six of the suspects were involved in kidnapping, while others were involved in other criminal activities.
He said, “Today, we are parading 51 suspects arrested in various nooks and crannies and forests of the state. We have 37 suspects arrested for breach of law and order. We have six major kidnap suspects and one case of abuse, which is rape.
”As a result of the activities of the Amotekun Rangers in the forest, we were able to dismantle a terrible kidnap syndicate. One of their armourers, who happened to be here today, has been arrested, and he has confessed to five major kidnap operations within the state.
”On those that pretend to be hawkers and pick metals, but are actually collaborators and information-gathering agents of kidnappers and robbers, we have David Abdul, 22, Abdullai, 27, Sani, 22, Ahmed, 26, Emma, 20, and Dayo.
”On human trafficking, we have one Ibrahim, 42, and we have one Agu Joseph, who is a jailbird that actually escaped from Okitipupa Custodial Centre to commit another crime, where Amotekun operatives picked him.”
Adeleye noted that out of the 51 suspects, 35 will be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction while the rest will face internal dispute resolution.
He also warned criminals to stay off Ondo State, stressing that the corps was committed to ensuring the safety of the good people of the state.
”So, across the board, these 51 suspects have gone through various stages of interrogation, and about 35 of them will be going to a court of competent jurisdiction today, while the others will face the internal dispute resolution method, and if they scale through, we will be able to resolve at that level, otherwise, they will end up at a court of competent jurisdiction.
”With this, what we keep saying, and we are still saying, is that Ondo State is not safe for criminals. Pack your things and go. We have told you that the government and the good people of Ondo State are opposed to kidnapping for ransom. Our watchword is to ensure that Ondo State remains safe for investors to thrive and work,” the Amotekun boss stressed.
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