The Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, on Tuesday paraded 28 suspects arrested for various crimes, including kidnapping, theft, rape, and vandalism.
The Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, Adetunji Adeleye, while parading the suspects in Akure, the state capital said they were arrested in various operations conducted by the Amotekun Corps across the state.
He said the agency has gone beyond arresting criminals and suspects alone, but is now after their godfathers and backbones.
The Amotekun Commander said the agency’s fight against crime is not only against the criminals but also against their sponsors. He cited an example of a group of suspects who steal and kill motorcycle riders, and have a network of receivers who dismantle and sell the stolen items.
“We have now gone beyond arresting criminals and suspects alone. As we talk now, we are now after their godfathers and backbones, and the reason is simple. So we are saying that until we uproot them, we won’t have total peace.
“We need the socio-economic growth of Ondo State to continue to increase. By the intervention of Amotekun Corp, the IGR of Ondo State in 2023 increased by over 500% and we don’t want to relent. Hence, our fight is not against the criminals alone, but against their sponsors.
“I give you an example, as part of the people we are parading today, there is a section of them that steals, kills, murder riders and dispossesses them. They have already made market receivers, who within minutes dismantles and sells to who will later on assemble and sell. We’ve gone after them and we’ve arrested the suspect, we’ve arrested the sponsor, we’ve arrested all the culprits”
He said the corps nabbed four suspected kidnappers in Elegbeka area, a 24-year-old man arrested for rape and fraud, and a 69-year-old man who specializes in stealing motorcycles.
“Four suspected kidnappers were arrested in Elegbeka area, they are Kwangi, Kwanji, Kana, Kana, Sam, and Daniel, age ranging between 18 and 27. On rape and fraud, we have Abiola, aged 24. We have equally on defilement, rape, and sexual assault, one Ogungbemi. And we have Tosin on assault.
To the Fulani communities, their cattle were rustled and taken away from Igbaraoke axis. We went after the Fulani that stole the cattle, retrieved the cattle, arrested the rustlers who are Abubakar Musa and Umar Mohamemd, aged 20 and returned the cows to the Fulani men. We equally have Obasi Ezekiel, who specializes in vandalizing electrical materials across the state.
“And to a syndicate that engages in practically stealing laptops, phones, burglary, when people have gone to work and Church. We have arrested six people, ranging from age 29 to 69 years.
“We equally have a 69-year-old man that specializes in stealing Okada. He has boys that work for him, they hit motorcyclists from the back and dispossess them of their Okada. We have one Dayo and Tosin that specialize in stealing of pumping machines.
“We equally have Aliu that was arrested in Polytechnic Road, Owo for breaking and entry and stealing of electrical materials, who was arrested with what he stole. We have another Yaris that was arrested for being in possession of firearms that are not licensed to him.
He noted that the agency also rehabilitated a 16-year-old girl who was molested and drugged, and later reunited her with her parents.
Adeleye thanked the people of Ondo State for their support and praised the agency’s mother agencies, including the Police, NSCDC, and DSS, for their assistance in geo-locating kidnappers.
He assured that the security architecture of Ondo State is firm and that the best criminals can do is to run away from the state.
The Amotekun Commander equally urged citizens to report any suspicious activity to the agency, saying that delay in reporting could be dangerous.
Fidelis David
Follow us on: