. Troops arrest 20 suspected bandits  in Kwara 

Fidelis David in Akure and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin 

 The Ondo State Commander of Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, has announced that the Corps has successfully foiled five kidnapping cases in the state within the last two weeks without paying any ransom. 

Similarly, troops deployed to crack down some suspected bandits in some parts of Kwara State have arrested no fewer than 20  individuals, including suspected gun runners and their logistics supporters.

Adeleye disclosed this yesterday  during a press briefing in Akure, where 17 suspects were paraded for various crimes.

According to Adeleye, the latest rescue mission occurred within the last 24 hours, where a chief in a community close to Akure was kidnapped, and the Amotekun Corps, in collaboration with local hunters, pursued the kidnappers overnight and rescued  the chief and an Okada rider without paying any ransom.

“The latest of this rescue mission took place in the last 24 hours, where a chief in a community close to Akure was kidnapped, and our distress line was contacted.” 

“With the joint efforts of the local hunters, and officers and men of Amotekun, we walked overnight, pursued the kidnappers, and were able to retrieve the two of them, the chief and the Okada rider that was kidnapped without payment of any ransom.

“Again, the perpetrators of evil in Akoko axis, the northern senatorial axis of the state, some of them were arrested, they attempted, and actually kidnapped victims along Ajegunle Road, and at about 2 a.m., between 1 and 2 a.m., they came with their heads, ravaged their farms, raped their women, and ran away.

“Our tactical team moved in, under the leadership of the area commander of our Zone 6, and within 48-hours, the people were released, and three suspects identified as part of the gang were arrested.” 

“We have them here, both the victim and the suspects. The same thing goes for the central senatorial district, where some kidnapped suspects were arrested again by officers and men of the Amotekun Corps, and they had equally been identified.”

He said the Amotekun Corps has also arrested suspects involved in robbery and rape cases, with eight suspects facing charges for breaking the law and order, three for kidnapping, and six for robbery and rape.

Adeleye emphasised the government’s stance against kidnapping for ransom in Ondo State, urging farmers to return to their farms and assuring them of the corps’ commitment to maintaining peace and security. 

“What the government of Ondo State is saying is that we are saying no to kidnap for ransom in Ondo State. Headers are free to do their business, farmers are free to cultivate. Farmers will not infringe on the rights of the headers, while headers have no right to destroy people’s farm.”

“So on farmers and headers clashes, even though it has reduced, we are saying the government does not want it to happen to prevent scarcity of food in the next season. We want farmers to go back to their farms. 

“As we talk, the Amotekun Rangers are in the forest, and we want to thank the farmers and members of the public, the Hunters Association, and the Vigilante Groups for giving us timely information to work with”, Adeleye added.

 Meanwhile, troops deployed to crack down some suspected bandits in some parts of Kwara State have arrested no fewer than 20  individuals, including suspected gun runners and their logistics supporters.

 The suspects, according to THISDAY checks, were arrested in Ifelodun local government area of the state on Tuesday.

 The crackdown on the suspected bandits by the troops, it was learnt, involved the deployment of nearly 400 special security operatives. 

 The affected special security operatives were said to be at the instance of the state government and Office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja.

 The deployment of the affected troops were said to be targeted at   Ifelodun, Ekiti, Edu, Patigi local government council areas of the state and some other border areas where breaches have recently been observed. 

 A senior government officials, who sought anonymity, confirmed the arrest of the affected suspects to newsmen in Ilorin yesterday  in a chat.

He said: “We are to have these local governments on a lockdown. The operation is just getting underway, and we have more than 20 arrests already. 

“The suspects are giving useful information, and many of them were caught with ammunitions and supplies meant for the criminals around Babanla (Ifelodun).

“Out of these suspects, 10 are being moved to Abuja along with the ammunitions in their possession for more grilling.”

“The operation has also led to the unconditional release of many captives in the area following mouthing pressure on the criminals.”

Another  government source   said the operation also involved a strategic partnership with security forces in neighbouring Kogi and Niger States to prevent the criminals from escaping. 

“The operation is only starting from Ifelodun. We are also moving to Edu and Patigi, while Eruku axis is on lockdown to ensure that these criminals do not escape to Kogi. Border communities around Niger are also being monitored,” he added. 

 The latest security operation followed recent assurances by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq that every string is being pulled to smoke out the criminals from different forests where they may be hiding. 

The government source urged members of the public to report any suspicious movement of unknown individuals to the security agencies.

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