Men of the Ondo State Security Network codename Amotekun have arrested an ex-convict, Semion Matthew, and 28 others for robbery, kidnapping, and other heinous crimes.
The Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye who paraded the suspects on Monday said the convict was arrested barely a week after he had served his prison term for drug peddling and robbery.
Adeleye said the suspects were arrested with the combined efforts of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) Department of State Security (DSS), and other security agents.
The Commander said there was no incident of security breach during the yuletide because of the patrol embarked upon by the joint security patrol embarked by the security agencies.
Aside from the arrest of the suspects, weapons including guns, axes, and charms were recovered from the suspects.
According to him, the ember patrol was still ongoing, and in the last week, the Corps was able to arrest 29 suspects that were involved in forms of security breaches which ranged from kidnapping, armed robbery, housebreaking, shop breaking, and stealing of okada.
Adeleye said Matthew left the correctional center less than a week and went into the crime again and was arrested for similar offences, which he was arrested for.
His words “In the same way, those that were involved in the illegal possession of firearms on our watch list in the last five months we were able to apprehend some of them with different locally made guns and pistols.
“All these suspects would be thoroughly investigated and they would be brought to book. Among them we have suspected kidnappers, we have those who specialize in stealing household equipment, some of them stole cocoa beans, iron rods, and diesel.”
Adeleye said Matthew claimed to be a drug baron dealer who had been convicted for drug and robbery activities and that was exactly what he did again.
The Commander said “We were able to disband four robbery gangs that are here, even though we have about four of them that are still at large but the principal suspects are here with us. We equally have about four people that violated the anti-open grazing law that would also be prosecuted.”
On the allegation of invasion of the State by terrorists, Adeleye said “The fake news that went viral that Amotekun was overwhelmed was grossly false in its entirety because in the four local government areas of Akoko, we are on 24-hour, seven days patrol in the last 60days and there had been no major case of a security breach that we did not rose to arrest.
“As we talk now, the state is one of those that claims is safest. You will recall that early November will reassure members of the public that they are going to enjoy the Xmas and New Year holidays without fear of being molested. We placed it on record that there would not be bank robbery in Ondo State.
“So I want to say that it was a cheap blackmail orchestrated by enemies of progress of the state and it is aimed at discrediting the corps but we refused to be distracted. We will continue to serve our people and provide the quality security services that we are reputed for and it is all we know that the 18 local government areas in Ondo state are safe from all these criminal activities. We refused to be distracted by the mischief makers who are determined to rubbish the integrity of the Amotekun.”
