The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, has arrested 98 suspected criminals, including fake lunatics allegedly linked to kidnapping and robbery operations across the state.
The Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading suspects at the agency’s headquarters.
Adeleye said several of the suspects were arrested during anti-kidnapping operations carried out in different parts of the state, while others were apprehended for robbery, drug peddling, and acts capable of disrupting public peace.
According to him, 60 of the suspects are currently facing prosecution in courts of competent jurisdiction, while 38 cases were resolved through the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
He added that 13 other suspects are undergoing investigation and interrogation ahead of prosecution.
The Amotekun commander revealed that 10 suspects were arrested either at kidnapping scenes or while attempting to carry out abductions.
He also disclosed that operatives uncovered a new tactic allegedly adopted by criminals who disguise themselves as mentally unstable persons to evade suspicion while carrying out criminal activities.
According to Adeleye, the fake lunatics were involved in drug trafficking, intelligence gathering for kidnappers, robbery, and other criminal activities across the state.
“Our intelligence and plainclothes officers monitored and tracked them to places where they charged their phones, changed clothes, and coordinated operations before they were arrested,” he said.
Adeleye further narrated how Amotekun operatives rescued a kidnapped couple in Iluwabu community without the payment of ransom.
He explained that the agency’s rapid response team immediately moved into the forest after receiving distress information, leading to the rescue of the female victim, while an overnight operation eventually secured the release of her husband.
“We reunited the family without any ransom payment or negotiation,” he stated.
The commander attributed the recent rise in kidnapping and other criminal activities to pressure mounted on criminal elements fleeing northern parts of the country.
He, however, assured residents that Ondo State remains safe, noting that Amotekun, alongside the military, police, DSS, civil defence, and other security agencies, has intensified joint operations across forest areas.
“Our forests are no longer safe havens for criminals. Security agencies are working together to ensure the protection of lives and property,” Adeleye said.
He urged residents to continue providing actionable intelligence to security agencies, assuring that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality.
