The Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested 97 suspects for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, vehicle theft and other crimes across the 18 local government areas of the state within the last two weeks.
The Commander of the Corps, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading the suspects in Akure on Saturday, saying the arrests followed a series of coordinated operations carried out across the state.
According to Adeleye, some of the suspects were linked to kidnapping activities, while others were arrested for violating the state’s anti-open grazing law, robbery, burglary and vehicle hijacking.
He said the corps dismantled a vehicle theft syndicate operating within the state, recovering several stolen vehicles and apprehending key members of the criminal network.
The commander added that some of the suspects confessed to acting as informants and suppliers for kidnappers hiding in forests, while others were identified as active members of kidnapping gangs.
Adeleye also raised concerns over what he described as a new security threat involving groups of people relocating into forest areas with household items and personal belongings under suspicious circumstances.
“We discovered a new trend where women and other individuals moved into forest locations with cooking utensils, bedding and other belongings.
Some of them admitted they were invited into the state by persons from the North and were heading to remote forest settlements,” he said.
He further disclosed that Amotekun arrested two individuals who allegedly pretended to be mentally ill in order to gather intelligence for criminal groups, noting that investigations revealed the deception was part of a wider criminal operation.
The commander said the corps also dismantled a robbery syndicate that reportedly invaded homes at night, held residents hostage, forced them to transfer money electronically and carted away their vehicles, adding that stolen vehicles recovered from the suspects were on display.
Adeleye said suspects found to be involved in criminal activities would be prosecuted, while those against whom no incriminating evidence was established would be handed over to community leaders and transported back to their states of origin after profiling.
He commended residents for providing useful intelligence and reaffirmed that security agencies were working together to sustain peace across Ondo State.