The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, at the weekend said it has apprehended more than 4,000 suspected criminals across the 18 local government areas of the state in the last five months.
The agency said the suspects involved in various criminal activities, ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, open grazing among others, specifically between January and May this year.
While addressing the newsmen at the office of the Special Adviser to the governor on Security, the Amotekun Corps Commandant, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye stated that the Amotekun Corps started the year on a very good note in the sense that December periods are usually characterized by various criminal activities but the last December was eventfully peaceful until the Agency had their first challenge in Ose local government.
He added that they continued what was supposed to be Christmas patrol until March to ensure that in collaboration with other security agencies, Ondo State remains peaceful.
Adeleye, who is also the Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Security Matters, said the corps was committed to making the state crime-free and would not relent on its Operation Clean-Up efforts to eradicate crime in the state.
He noted that the crime rate in the state, going by statistics, had dropped by more 70 than per cent.
Adeleye urged the general public to give a timely report on any incident as the Agency much rely on quality and timely informations.
“They should notify the agency of any suspicious movements through any of the agency’s channel and the men will swing into action immediately.”
“Across the board, we recorded a very low criminal activities in the state, that is not to say that there are no violences here and there like armed robbery and kidnapping cases. Very recently, we launched a massive attack in collaboration with the military on the kidnappers in the four local governments in Akoko, Ose and Owo local government and it actually yielded a lot of dividends.
“On the clean up operation including the military, the military of Kogi partnered with the 32 Artillery Brigade and men of the Amotekun Corps of Ondo state and the local hunters of all the villages around the border towns and to a very large extent, we were able to drive the criminals away.
“The same thing also happened in Ose local government where once they attack, they cross the river and in two minutes, they are in Edo state. The officers and men of the police force, Civil Defence, DSS, the Nigerian Army and Amotekun Corps, synergised to confront these criminals and a larger part of the security agencies of Edo state joined us. These are some of the things that are responsible for the relative peace that we have around the border towns”.
Adeleye further sttessed that criminal take advantage of the absence of Amotekun Corps in Kogi and Edo. But it has since ceased because these security agencies in the two neighboring states are collaborating with Ondo State securities.
“The last operations we did a couple of days ago, we were able to engage these criminals with the assistance of the Nigerian Army and officers and men of the security agencies of Edo and Kogi states. And I will tell you that it actually yielded in a lot of dividends, these are some of the things that are responsible for the low criminal activities in Ondo state.
Also within the two, we reactivated twelve control points in and out of the town such that within few minutes of information about any criminal activities, we have our modules operandi of barricading the roads you ensure that such criminals will not leave uncaught. These has also greatly discouraged criminal activities within the town”.
The Amotekun Commander noted that on the average between January and May, the Agency have made about four thousand arrestes and through the director of public prosecution of Ondo state, they have been able to send a reasonable number to correctional centers while prosecutions and diligent investigations are going on, on very many others.
Adeleye added that the range of criminal activities that were arrested included: kidnapped suspects, arm robbery suspects, illegal possession of fire arms, child trafficking, illegal use of weapons, cult activities, human relations violations and a host of other criminal activities. Stressing that crime rates in Ondo State by their statistics has dropped by more than 70% and between the last five months of 2021 and the first five months of 2022, there is sharp decrease in the number of suspects.
While commending and appreciating the officers and men of all security agencies in Ondo State, the Army, the Civil Defense, the DSS, for their support in ensuring that Ondo State is peaceful, Adeleye implored the members of the public to continue to support the security agencies.
Also, commending the administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu for being people friendly, he added that the position of government cannot be undermined on the enforcement of 6 AM to 6 PM use of motorcycles.
“We met with the leadership of Motorcycle riders and we do remind them that the ban is still in force, anyone that falls pretty are still being punished. But we have a very fiid collaboration with the motorcycle riders leadership, that is why there is no fracas”.
He stressed that the routine recruitment for now will be a yearly affair but specifically, the three hundred and fifty officers to be recruited now are to meet specific security challenges that are coming on board, especially now that more investors are being invited into the state. It means majority of them will be in the forest areas where industries are to be sited and the state must be totally investor friendly and security is key to such.
He added that those that wants to participate in the recruitment exercise should log in to www.ondoamotekun.com and register, fill the forms, submit online.
“And if qualified with all the attachments, there will be an invitation for interview. And by the first week of June, they will be due to go to training camp and join the work force, thereafter.
Adeleye advised that state based grassroot security like Amotekun is the solution to all insurgencies. It should be set up in other neighboring states and other states in Nigeria. And also the citizens should be law abiding, irrespective of their political parties, as this is the time of political activities.
He noted that the challenges of the agency includes inadequate funding, inadequate equipment, inadequate support from the people.
Adeleye also appealed to the relevant agencies that enjoys serenity of what the agency does to provide vehicles, motorbikes, survellance equipment and all other necessary equipment to make the job easier for them because security is everybody’s business.
