The Commander of the Ondo State Security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, stated that no fewer than 300 suspected criminals had been arrested and paraded by the command in the last three months in the state.
Adeleye, who disclosed this during an interview in Akure, said the suspects were apprehended in about 15 locations across the 18 local government areas of the state.
He attributed the increase in the number of arrests to the influx of bandits into the South-West region but assured that Amotekun in the state had remained vigilant to ensure the safety of lives and property.
According to him, most of the suspected criminals were arrested in border communities of the state and were linked to criminal activities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, housebreaking, and other minor offences.
Adeleye said, “We rely heavily on grassroots intelligence. In the last three months, we arrested and paraded over 300 suspects across approximately 15 locations in the 18 local government areas of the state.
“Most of them were apprehended in connection with crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, housebreaking, and other minor offences.
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“Some of these suspects have been prosecuted in court, while others have had their cases resolved. Many of them remain in correctional centres across the state.
“We also have what we call Amotekun ambassadors, who operate discreetly within communities as part of our intelligence unit.
“These ambassadors move across towns and villages, gathering grassroots information to help identify bad actors who collaborate with criminals.
“This system has been yielding remarkable results for us. All the criminals we have apprehended so far were caught based on grassroots intelligence reports from villages and towns within the state.”
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Adeleye added that the security outfit was determined to stop the influx of criminals and drive out those who had sneaked into the state. He said, “We have put strategies in place that will make the state too hot for them to stay.”
The Amotekun commander, however, assured the people of the state that there was no cause for alarm, as the security outfit was on high alert. He emphasized that his men were fully prepared to prevent the influx of bandits into the state.
Adeleye also lauded the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for providing Amotekun with an enabling environment to operate. He said, “We appreciate the government of Ondo State under the able leadership of Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa for supporting Amotekun’s operations.
“I also thank the good people of Ondo State for the actionable information they provide to us. We rely heavily on grassroots intelligence.”
