No fewer than 21 suspected criminals were paraded on Tuesday by the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, over alleged involvement in criminal activities in various parts of the State.
Parading the suspects at the Headquarters of the Corps in Akure, the State capital, Adetunji Adeleye, Amotekun Corps Commander, stated that the suspected criminals were nabbed for various crimes, ranging from kidnapping, stealing, burglary, armed robbery, among others.
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 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.
“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.
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“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, heavy objects, 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 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 who specializes in breaking into empty, unoccupied houses where the owners are not around. They burgle and empty the house of everything and it is sold round to various local governments, but we were able to retrieve some of them from the different local governments. 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 melt the copper wires and sell them. We equally have suspected kidnappers apprehended around where 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 dominate and flush criminals from forests, we have devised security tactics to bring about relative peace at border local governments of Edo-Ondo, Edo-Kogi. The results will be visible within few days.
“So the 21 suspects are profiled and ready to proceed to court after the investigations.”
