Ondo Amotekun Arrests 39 Suspects After US Airstrikes

The Ondo State security outfit, known as Amotekun, has apprehended 39 suspected terrorists who reportedly fled Sokoto State following the Christmas Day airstrikes carried out by the United States military in Nigeria’s North-West.

While parading 100 suspected criminals arrested across the state, the commander of the security outfit, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that the 39 suspected bandits said they escaped from Sokoto State.

Adeleye explained that after fleeing from the northern region of the country, the suspects relocated to forest areas within the state.

Adeleye said that ” A couple of days ago, 39 suspects were arrested, all together, claiming that as a result of the heat turned on them in the northern part of the country, they are relocating into the forest.

“We are still profiling them, and after the profiling, we may have to send them back, but those found with incriminating equipment and materials will surely be prosecuted.

“The government has made its position known. For you to stay in our forest areas, you must obtain permits.

“So, the sudden influx of this element poses a lot of questions that we are still working on. I have them equally arraigned.

Adeleye added that cooperation among the border patrols of Ekiti/Ondo, Osun/Ondo, and Ogun/Ondo has produced significant results, noting that some suspects were not paraded because investigations are ongoing, including cases where operatives went to Ogun State to bring suspects back.

Speaking further on the suspects paraded, the commander said ” We have arrested about 100 suspects, out of which 61 are on parade today, 50 of them engaged in breaking of law and order, two on anti-open grazing , six on kidnapping related cases, and three on abuse of gender and rape.

The commander stated that the suspects’ ages ranged between 18 and 45 years.

On the alleged rape cases, Adeleye said three suspects — including a 19-year-old Daniel Ojo, a 33-year-old Usman, and a 41-year-old Bejide — were arrested in the Isinkan area of Akure, the state capital.

We appreciated the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ” for giving us an enabling environment to thrive.We thank all security agencies in the state, the police, the civil defense, the army, the DSS, the vigilantes, and the public generally for the support we received from them. He concluded.