Securitymen arrest 20 suspects over murder of Ondo monarch

Amotekun mounts surveillance on Falae’s farm, impounds cows
Over 20 suspected killers of the traditional ruler of Ifon in Ose Local Council of Ondo State, the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi, have been apprehended by a joint security force.

They were arrested, yesterday, by a combined team of security operatives that stormed Elegbeka Forest in Ifon, though the identities of the suspects were yet to be made public because of ongoing investigation.

Oba Adeusi was killed last Thursday by suspected kidnappers between Elegbeka and Ifon while returning from the monthly Council of Obas’ meeting in Akure.

The Commander of the Ondo Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this at a press briefing in Akure, saying that four kidnap victims were rescued during the operation.

Adeleye noted that the arrested suspects were undergoing interrogations, while the herdsmen who had long been terrorising that axis had fled the area.

He refuted allegations that his men were not in the bush and added that surveillance had been mounted at the farm of Chief Olu Falae to prevent further attack on the farm by suspected herdsmen.

According to him, the “Operation Clean Up” launched on Tuesday sprang into action and it led to the arrest of over 20 suspects from various black spots in Akure and environs. He said some of the suspects were caught in the act of committing robbery.

“In the past few weeks, Ondo State crime increased in kidnappings, armed robbery and men of the Amotekun Corps went into action in collaboration with other security agencies.

“We observed a downward trend after the ban of okada at night. So, we had to change tactics. That was why we launched the Operation Clean Up to patrol all nooks and crannies of Akure and other parts of the state.

“The idea is to take the war to the kidnappers, criminals or wherever they are hiding and we have recorded huge success. Amotekun operates in the bush, forest, water and anywhere,” he said.

Speaking on the arrest of some cows in some parts of the state, he disclosed that the cows were caught destroying a farm but the herders fled to evade arrest.

The Amotekun boss asserted that the impounded cows would not be released until the owners reached amicable agreement with the farmers whose crops were destroyed incessantly.