Monday, June 15, 2026 - The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, said it had arrested no fewer than 97 persons in connection with various criminal activities in some parts of the state.
According to the corps, the suspects were allegedly involved
in criminal activities, including kidnapping, burglary, robbery, and violation
of the anti-open grazing law, among others.
Speaking on the development on Sunday, the state Commander
of the Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the suspects were arrested
within two weeks of raids.
Akogun said among those arrested were individuals identified
as members of armed robbery and kidnapping gangs operating in Ikare Akoko,
Akure, Ilu-Abo and some other locations.
He alleged that some of the suspects were members of armed
robbery and kidnapping gangs operating in Ikare, Kajola, Akure, Ilu-Abo, Akure
North, Mure, Oja-Mokan and other locations.
He said, “I have a total of 97 suspects arrested across the
18 local government areas of Ondo State within the last 14 days. Some were
arrested directly in connection with kidnapping-related cases. Others were
arrested for violating the anti-open grazing law of Ondo State. Some were
arrested for burglary and robbery, while others were apprehended in connection
with vehicle hijacking and theft.
“We were able to break a syndicate that has been operating
in Ondo State.
The stolen vehicles and some of the principal suspects have
been arrested. We equally have some individuals who confessed to being
informants and suppliers to kidnappers in the forest, as well as confirmed
members of kidnapping groups.”
The Amotekun commander also stated that some of the suspects
were arrested inside the forest with personal utensils, indicating that they
were living in the forest illegally.
“I want to bring to the attention of the general public a
new trend in criminality that we have observed. It involves women of different
ages travelling in vehicles into the interior forests with household utensils,
mortars and pestles, bedding, cooking utensils and personal belongings.
“Upon interrogation, they confirmed they were fleeing
security pressure in the North. They also admitted that they were invited by
some members of these northern groups to come and destabilise the peace in the
southern part of the state, which had previously been very peaceful.
“One suspect told us he invited only two people to work for
him, but those two people brought 51 others. The man who invited them confirmed
that he had only requested two workers.
“These individuals subsequently brought 51 more people into
the forest, loaded with various goods, to an area they had never been to
before. This is highly suspicious,” the commander stated.
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