The arrests were made in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups across the state’s 18 local government areas.

Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, while addressing journalists at the Amotekun headquarters in Akure, said the suspects had been terrorising different parts of the state. He noted that the agency had expanded its operations to target not just criminals but also their sponsors and networks.

“We have gone beyond just arresting suspects. We are now targeting their backbones—those financing and facilitating these crimes,” Adeleye said.

Among those paraded were four suspected kidnappers arrested in the Elegbeka area, identified as Kwangi, Kwanji, Kana, Sam, and Daniel, all aged between 18 and 27. Others include suspects involved in rape, assault, and fraud, as well as cattle rustlers identified as Abubakar Musa and Umar Mohammed, who were arrested and the stolen cattle recovered.

Adeleye revealed that Amotekun had disrupted a motorcycle theft syndicate known for killing riders, dismantling bikes, and selling them through a black market network. Several members of the gang, including sponsors and dealers, were also arrested.

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He credited the rise in Ondo State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which reportedly increased by over 500% in 2023, partly to the improved security environment created by Amotekun’s operations.

The commander praised the support of other security agencies and assured residents that forests and other criminal hideouts across the state had been effectively combed and secured.

“We are sending a strong message, Ondo State is not a safe haven for criminals,” Adeleye said.

Source: Punch