A total of 67 people have been detained by the Ondo State branch of the South-West Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, on suspicion of participating in abduction and other illegal acts within the state.
Over the course of the previous two weeks, these arrests were made in cooperation with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the army, the police, and the Department of State Services at various places throughout the state.
Amotekun Commander Adetunji Adeleye introduced the suspects to the public at a press conference held at the command headquarters in Akure, the state capital. He emphasized that many of the suspected kidnappers had been positively identified by their victims, further confirming their active participation in the unlawful acts.
Adeleye said, “We have a good number of suspected criminals arrested during operations across Ondo State. The 67 criminals were arrested within the last two weeks of rounding off of the Operation Ember Months programme that we embarked on.
“A good number of them were suspected kidnappers while a good number of them were identified by their victims. Some of them were arrested with different types of weapons, some of them involved in housebreaking, some suspected robbers and murderers.”
The commander reported that three of the suspects managed to flee from the prison as they were being charged with criminal offences in Benin, Edo State.
He said: “Out of these 67, we have three who could be regarded as jailbirds. One of them escaped from Benin, according to him, where he was answering charges bordering on kidnapping and robbery. Another one who claimed to be running away from fellow kidnappers because he was not joining them again, and we were also able to arrest him in what he termed his last operation in kidnapping, before we arrested him.
“He told us he is a member of a seven-man kidnap group terrorising the USO/Emure/Owo areas. These are a cross-section of criminals troubling the peace of the state.
“The major reason for parading them is to send the signal to criminals that Ondo State cannot tolerate them, and the government is resolute in ensuring that the peace and stability of the state is not disturbed by them,” Adeleye explained.
The Amotekun commander reiterated the importance of citizens reporting any individuals or groups displaying suspicious behaviour to the security agencies.
He reassured the public that the corps is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the safety of Ondo State and its socio-economic activities.
