Amotekun parades 21 suspected criminals in Ondo

No fewer than 21 suspects were paraded on Tuesday by the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as the Amotekun Corps, for their alleged involvement in various criminal activities across the state.

The suspects who were paraded at the headquarters of the corps in Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital, include suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, and burglars, among others.

According to the Amotekun Commander in the state, Adetunji Adeleye, the suspects had been profiled and will be subsequently charged to court.

He said: “We have 21 suspected criminals from various local governments in the state. I also want to bring to the notice of the public that criminal activities are now static.

“The more we device means of check-mating them, they also move forward, and I know that 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.

“A typical example is the modus operandi of those specialising in the kidnapping and stealing of Okada. Earlier, we advised the people not to patronise Okada that use hoods to cover their heads, only leaving spaces for their eyes and nose, as those are known to be criminals, especially in the night.

“We were able to break a syndicate that devised another means of dispossessing innocent okada riders of their okada. Some of them have been killed. They use guns and heavy objects, and rather than mount the okada, they stand beside the okada and hit him on the head. So he falls, and they pick up 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 a serious manhunt is ongoing for the accomplice.

“So we have to enlighten Okada riders to be wary of who rides behind you. They actually engaged us in a shootout to escape arrest. We also have a group that specialises in breaking into empty, unoccupied houses where the owners are not around.

“They burgle and empty the house of everything, but we were able to retrieve some of them. I want to warn people who take pleasure in buying cheap second-hand items to desist, as they will be taken as accomplices. If there is no ready market, it will discourage the vandals.

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

“You will observe the upsurge of criminal activities, especially kidnapping along the borders of Ose, Edo, Akoko, and Kogi axis. Apart from the governor’s directive that Amotekun rangers should flush criminals from forests, we have devised security tactics to bring about relative peace at the border local governments of Edo-Ondo and Edo-Kogi. The results will be visible within a few days.”