Men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as The Amotekun Corps have apprehended 21 Suspects in recent operations carried out in various parts of the state.
Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, the state capital, the Commander of the corps, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed they included; four suspected kidnappers, five herders alleged to be violating the anti-open grazing law, and 12 others charged with a range of offences including theft, assault, and attempted murder.
Some of the Suspects interviewed by newsmen confessed to have committed the crime charges against them, blaming the devil.
Among the Suspects is a notorious robber, 39-year-old, Wale Okusan, who usually used iron rod and pestle to hit unsuspecting commercial bike riders to make them unconscious and then steal their motorcycles.
Another one is one 32-year-old Noel Bulus from Kaduna State, who escaped from the custody of a security agency with his hands cuffed. He was arrested in a neighborhood in Akure.
The Corps Commander also disclosed that the state formation would be rounding off its yuletide patrol and intensify security in the forests of the state due to increase in security breaches in the forests.
Adeleye said, “Across the board we have four kidnapped suspects, five that violated the anti-open grazing law and 12 that breached the general law and order of the state. The implication of this after due analysis is that the state is relatively peaceful.
“The security breaches we have ranges from suspected kidnappers, fighting and civil disorder, wandering, anti-grazing, stealing of phones and attempted murder, stealing of aluminum products, destruction of properties, conspiracy and stealing of motorcycles, conspiracy, stealing and aiding and abetting of motorcycles.
“The breaches at our borders had reduced as a result of the activities of the Amotekun Rangers and we also want to thank the public for giving us timely information.
“In the last one month, the Corps had intervened in about 15 kidnap issues that the timely intervention foiled the kidnapping.
“So, we want to thank the public and ask for their support in the provision of more actionable information such that once we have such information, especially through our distress call line which remains 0807999989, you can be sure that relief will come your way immediately.”
In a related development, Adeleye announced that Ondo Amotekun is synergising with other sister security agencies and Amotekun Corps in the neighbouring states within the western region to stop the influx of bandits into the region.
He noted that an undisclosed number of Amotekun officers would be deployed to bandits and other criminal elements from taking refuge in Ondo state and other states in the South West region.