File: Amotekun operatives

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested 14 persons allegedly involved in some criminal activities across the state.

The corps said the suspects were involved in crimes such as kidnapping, theft, cattle rustling, stealing, vandalism, among others.

Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, the Commander of the corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the arrests were made possible following the collaboration of other security agencies.

He said, “Today again, we have a group that specialises in kidnapping and rustling cattle from Fulani herdsmen in Ore, Ode-Aye, Ofosu, Omotosho, all in Odigbo local government. After very decisive actions, we were able to arrest the main culprits, who in collaboration with some at large, also stole these cows in three different locations; we have them here. We have those that bought these cows from him. He has ready markets across the state where he sends the cows to for sale at very ridiculous prices.

“They say, cows are sold under 100,000 at times. We have them here. This goes far to show that the best criminals can do is to blockade Ondo State. These cow rustlers and their collaborators are on parade; we have two people, Akinlolu and Akintimi, who are being charged for illegal possession of firearms. Also, we have Jamiu, who specialises in vandalising houses that are under construction. He removes all electrical cables, removes all plumbing installations, and a lot of things in the houses. He’s a 30-year-old man.

” We also have one Olajide who steals iron rods in the name of joining the group of people that they are picking iron materials across and there is also one Lomi Dada who had the effrontery to approach the palace in Odigbo and stole the iron rod with which the Kabiesi uses to enter its premises, in addition to so many other negative things that he does.”

The Amotekun boss also disclosed that the couple of farmers who were abducted on their farm in Okeigbo Local Government Area of the state were also rescued by the team of the special squad of the corps. He, however, noted that the wife died during the rescue process.

“A couple of days ago, we had this isolated case of kidnapping in Okeigbo and nine of the Special Squad of Amotekun moved immediately. We received the distress call. We equally contacted sister security agencies, especially the Department of State Security Services for joint tracking and we commenced action until about 72 hours after when His Excellency, the Governor, called me personally and he said that we must at all costs rescue these victims despite all we have been doing.

“I’m glad to let you know that several kilometers away from the scene of crime, we successfully secured the release of the two of them that were kidnapped in Okeigbo. Not without a lot of trouble because the kidnappers equally deceived us on the geolocation with the beach. I think every day they are coming up with new strategies and that is why we equally developed non-kinetic measures in addition to intelligence-driven bush combing that we did.

“This is what led to identifying them in the depth of the forest, the reserve forest, several kilometers away from the scene. We were able to rescue a life without a problem, the man. But unfortunately, by the time we got there, the lady was exhausted and we couldn’t revive her because we met her dead. But the good news is that we had sent signals by this action that there is no hiding place for criminals in Ondo State,” Adeleye stated.