Amotekun, Soldiers, Others Begin Clearance Operation in Ondo Forests

Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State Commander of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), codenamed Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, yesterday  said the corps, in conjunction with other security agencies in the state, have commenced another set of clearance operation across forests in the state to arrest criminals using the forests as a hiding place.

Adeleye, who doubles as the Special Adviser (Security Matters) to the state governor, disclosed this while parading 31 suspects arrested for alleged crimes ranging from kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, stealing, vandalism among others.

Specifically, Adeleye said nine  suspects were arrested for alleged kidnapping, five were arrested for stealing, four were nabbed for vandalism, while 13 suspects were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, house-breaking among others. 

His words: “Today, we have 31 suspects that have been terrorizing different areas of Ondo state. All this 31 suspects were arrested within a week of operation across the 18 local government areas of the state.” 

“We have nine suspected kidnappers, they attempted to collect ransom from our men, thinking they were members of the family of their victims. We succeeded in arresting three of them that lead us to the remaining six in Akoko axis. 

“We also have five other from Irele LGA, arrested for stealing and reselling of motorcycles. We have another four from both Akure, Okitipupa and Irele LGAs that specializes in vandalising electrical cables, high-tension wires. We have one from Okitipupa who attempted to attack our men with gun. So, we are also charging him for illegal possession of firearm. 

We have other number of suspected criminals arrested for house-breaking and stealing. We have a group that specializes in stealing goats across the state. We arrested them with two vehicles with several goats inside and we found out that they have a gimmick, they use to make the goats not to make noise while the operation last”, he stressed.

The corps commander said Amotekun also arrested a juvenile robber, (name withheld) who adopted the name of notorious Nigerian armed robber, “Oyenusi”  for stealing in the state.

“We rearrested a young boy we arrested three years ago and took to juvenile for illegal possession of firearms and robbery. At time, he was 13 years. The best we could do was to hand him over to juvenile and see if he could be rehabilitated.

“Right now, he’s 16, this time around, he broke into a number of shops and removed items. Between then and now, he confessed that he had engaged in over 40 housebreaking activities”.

Adeleye explained that, following the increasing rate of kidnapping in the country, the corps in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Army, Department of State Service (DSS) and other sister security agencies have commenced a clearance operations to flush out kidnappers and other criminals from the forests and other strategic locations in the state.

“Amotekun, in conjunction with other security agencies, has commenced another set of clearance operation. We turned our searchlights to the forests which use to be the hiding place for criminal activities, especially kidnapping, because we found out that they’ve left the main cities, they operate at the nearest road and run back into the forestry reserves.

“So, it is time for them to park and leave Ondo state, otherwise, they will soon be paraded like their colleagues”, he noted.

The corps commander reassured members of the public to go about their businesses without fear, stressing that the state will not be a hiding place for criminals.

“My advice to criminals is to go away from the state because there is no hiding place for them. We will continue to work with other security agencies to make sure that Ondo State is safe for normal business and social activities”, Adeleye added.