Amotekun Parades 21 Suspected Criminals in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

Ondo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun  yesterday  paraded 21 suspects arrested for various criminal offences across the state within three weeks.

The state Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, while parading the suspects at the Command’s headquarters, in Akure, said the corps is resolute in ensuring that the state doesn’t become a hiding place for criminals.

His words: “We have 21 suspected criminals from various local governments in the state. We were able to break a syndicate that devised another means of dispossessing innocent okada riders of their motorcycles. Some of them have been killed. 

“They use guns and rather than mount the Okada, they ride beside the Okada and hit him on the head. So he falls and they pick the bike. Within minutes, the bike is dismembered and put in a sack and is taken out of the state. We were able to apprehend the mastermind from Benin and serious manhunt is ongoing for the accomplice 

“We also have a group who specialises in breaking into empty, unoccupied houses where the owners are not around. They burgle and empty the house of everything and it is sold out, but we were able to retrieve some of them from the different local governments.”

 He warned people, who take pleasure in buying cheap second hand items to desist, as they will be taken as accomplices if arrested.

“Another group steals and extracts wires from houses and conduits, then melt the copper wires and sell them. We equally have suspected kidnappers apprehended around where ransom was paid. They have given us useful information. 

Adeleye said the corps has devised security tactics to bring about relative peace at border local governments of Edo-Ondo and Edo-Kogi.

“You will observe the upsurge of criminal activities especially kidnapping along the borders of Ose, Edo, Akoko and Kogi axis. Aoart from the governors directive that Amotekun rangers should dominate and flush crminals from forests, we have  The results will be visible within few days.” 

According to him, “we have Olanusi Adurayemi and Kabiru Mustapha, armed robbery suspects; then Umaru mohammed and Ahmadu Illiyan suspected kidnappers. So the 21 suspects are profiled and ready to proceed to court after investigations.

“I also want to bring to the notice of the public that criminal activities is now static. The more we device means of check-mating them, they also move forward and i know by the grace of God and the support of Ondo State people in the provision of credible and actionable information, we will get around it.”

Adeleye further advised residents not to patronise motorcyclists that use hoods to cover their heads, only leaving spaces for their eyes and nose, as they are known to be criminals.