Ahead of the Yelutide session, the security agencies in Ondo State are to establish joint patrol to check violent crimes including kidnapping and armed robbery.
To be involved in the joint security patrol are men of the State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, Department of State Security, Police, and Army.
The Special Adviser to State Government on Security and Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, security agencies had concluded arrangements to begin a 24-hour surveillance and patrol in all the nooks and crannies of the state during the Yuletide session.
Speaking during the parade of 33 suspected criminals arrested within the State, Adeleye said the suspects were arrested for various offences including robbery, child trafficking, stealing, and vandalisation.
Speaking on the joint security patrol, Adeleye said “We want to place it on record that all the security agencies in the state are already collaborating to ensure that the yuletide period will be crime-free. As part of the package, by the first of November, we will be launching an annual ember patrol which will entail 24-hour patrol daily in the state capital, Akure, and all local government headquarters of the state.
“It will also involve the inter-state borders patrol with the cooperation of the public. While we reassure the public that we will work round the clock to ensure that our slogan, zero tolerance to crime is marched action.”
Speaking on the arrested suspects, the Commander said “The festive period is around the corner, so we want to use this opportunity to reassure members of the public that the Ondo state security network agency, codenamed Amotekun remains resolute to ensuring that the festive period goes without security breaches in the state.
“We have a cross-section of suspected criminals that had been terrorizing the different types of the state. For the parade today, we have 33 suspected criminals, and the activities range from kidnapping, housebreaking, stealing of motorbikes, and trading in human beings amongst others.
“These 33 suspected criminals were picked up in various local government areas of the state. Some of them, we have concluded their investigations and they will go for prosecution. While we make sure that the remaining suspects follow the due process of the law.
“We have six suspected kidnappers, and we even have some of their victims here. We equally have about five persons who specialize in stealing motorcycles, they will pretend as passengers and hit the Okada rider from the back.
“We have another set of people that specializes in vandalising critical government assets, especially, high-tension lines and transformers, they were picked up in Okitipupa and we were able to retrieve most of the things they stole.
“We have a group of people here that specialize in breaking shops, and they have a warehouse where they keep what they stole and we have been able to return what they stole to the owners while they will face normal prosecution.
“All the security agencies in the state had been working round the clock to provide adequate security for the good people of Ondo state. We have been collaborating with the relevant agencies through our neighboring states to flush out all these criminals from our state. So we are assuring the residents of Ose local government area of the state that our efforts will give them peace during this yuletide period.”
