Fidelis David in Akure
Ondo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun yesterday paraded 67 suspects arrested for various criminal offences across the state within two week.
The Ondo State Commander of the Corps, Mr. Adetunji Adeleye, while parading the latest suspects at the Command’s headquarters in Akure said 23 out of the 67 suspects are suspected kidnappers.
“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 up ‘Operation Ember Months Programmes’ that we embarked on prior to the last yuletide.
“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 housebreaking, some suspected robbers and murderers,” he stated.
He also said among the suspects are three jailbirds identified as Taiwo Adeola, Juwon Olanrewaju and Olajide Olayemi.
According to Adeleye, “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 refused to join them again, 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 team kidnap group terrorising Uso/Emure/Owo axis. So these are cross-sections of criminals troubling the peace of the state.”
Adeleye explained that the major reason for parading them is to send signal to criminals that Ondo State cannot tolerate them and the state government is resolute in ensuring that the peace and stability of the state is not disturbed by them.
“Once you know that there is no way you can engage in criminal activities and you won’t be arrested, I want to advise them to leave the state. I want to continue to reassure the good people of the state that the Amotekun and all other security agencies, especially the military, NSCDC and police that we remain resolute in our determination to continue to make Ondo State safe for our socio-economic activities,” he said.
Besides, the corps commander said: “A worrisome group that we observed recently is that of young men in their hundreds saying they are hunters with dogs entering every nook and cranny of the state. On the directives of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, we have returned them to their base up in the North.”
