The Ondo State Security Network Agency, otherwise known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested some suspected syndicates from Edo State planning an attack in Ondo State.
Adetunji Adeleye, State Commander of the Amotekun Corps, who revealed the arrest of the suspects, said they were apprehended in a hotel in Akure, the state capital, where they were planning to launch an attack on the state.
He said the suspects, who sneaked into Ondo through the border communities, were also caught with weapons at the point of their arrest.
“We went on patrol yesterday and to the glory of God, we arrested the team contracted all the way from Edo State to come and destabilize our peaceful state (Ondo).
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“We caught them in the act of the planning with weapons in the hotel where they were to take off at 3am yesterday,” he said.
While saying that investigation into the plans of the suspects was ongoing, Mr Adeleye revealed that the corps also arrested 12 suspected criminals within the state for various offences as the residents were celebrating Christmas.
The Amotekun boss said some of the suspects were contracted by yet-to-be-identified persons for the crime of kidnapping and armed robbery, especially during this festive season.
He stated that some of them, who were disguised as soldiers, were caught with camouflages and rifles used in attacking unsuspecting members of the society and motorists.
“From the 12 being paraded today, seven of them were arrested in Owo and out of the arrested seven, four of them were contracted for the job of kidnapping and armed robbery in Ondo State.
“We were able to apprehend them with their rifles and camouflage they used in deceiving unsuspecting commuters on the road and they have made lots of confessional statements.
“We also have a syndicate that specialised in the robbery of Okada in Akure and Akoko areas. Also, we have two different groups that specialised in stealing cars and motorbikes and we were able to dismantle them.”
He added that Amotekun Corps has already deployed over 1,500 men for the festive season for daily patrols in all the 18 LGAs of the state, noting that other sister security agencies have also joined in the strategy.
“The yuletide period would be peaceful and I want to assure the good people of the state that all hands are on deck and the security agencies which include; the Nigerian Army, DSS, Nigeria Police and NSCDC would guarantee 24-hour patrol and safety of lives and property of residents,” he said.
According to him, the efforts of the local security outfit to drive home its position of zero-tolerance to all forms of criminalities and crimes in the state had been yielding good results.
He warned criminals, particularly those using the forest reserve to perpetrate crime, to desist and leave the state, saying there is no hiding place for them.
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