The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun has again recorded some breakthroughs at making the state safe during this Yuletide.
Addressing newsmen at the headquarters of the Agency in Akure, the Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, Chief Adetunji Adeleye said over 100 suspected criminals have been arrested across the state since the commencement of its ongoing Operation Clean-Up which began early this month.
Chief Adeleye said the latest of Amotekun crackdown on criminals was its response to a distress call made by farmers at Osi Community in Akure North Local Government during which some herders armed with dangerous weapons were rearing their cows with planted crops on some farmlands.
He said it was surprising to his men that rather than the herders to heed the advice of stopping their cattles from further destroying the crops on the farmland, they began to attack the Amotekun officers during which one of them was overpowered and arrested with 16 of the ravaging cows.
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“Some farmers from Osi Community ran to the office complaining that their farms had been destroyed by herds.
“We sent our men there to assess the situation assessed and found out that the herds were actually on the farm and we invited the herdsmen.
“But unfortunately on getting there, they attacked our men with knives and other dangerous types of weapons. We were able to arrest one of the herders named Abdulkadir Mohammed”, he said.
The Corps Commander also said that some suspected cattle rustlers have been arrested by his men upon complaints against them by some herders in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area of the State.
The cattle rustlers according to the Amotekun Commander had earlier ran away but were later arrested following intense manhunt by his men and cooperation by from the Fulani herder whose cows were stolen.
He said Amotekun had also recovered a NISSAN Serena Bus marked LAGOS FJ 423 KRD, brought by the suspected rustles who wanted to steal more cows belonging to Alhaji Ilyasu
“Alhaji Ilyasu a Fulani man came to us that some people came with a Serena Bus to steal their cattle. They came to us and we sent our men out. We were able to recover the vehicle they wanted to used in stealing the cows, we also recovered the cows.
“We were able to trace some of the rustlers that ran away to somewhere in Ogun State. We have apprehended one Sudauna Gombe and one Ogunyale Sola, who was the driver of the abandoned Serena Bus
“We have handed them over to the Agro Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for detailed investigation.
“The cattle rustling case occured near NIROWI forest along Ore-Lagos Road before Step Down in Omotosho.
“We recovered two cows, which we have returned to the Fulani man that owns them, and we brought the vehicle to our office here because the rustlers ran away and abandoned the vehicle. But we were able to arrest those involved and they had confessed that they had bee. In the trade for some time”, he said.
Chief Adeleye said that the Amotekun Corps, have equally arrested one Lawal Abubakar along Ago Panu Forest near Owo on the way to Ose while in possession of a gun without a license.
The Commander noted that the security agency, has held series of meetings with Myetti Allah leaders from Ondo, Ekiti and Osun States to educate them on the need to maintain good neighbourliness with their host communities and more importantly see Amotekun Corps as a security outfit for all residents of the state.
He said much as herders have rights to go about their lawful business, they must also not trample on the rights of farmers by ensuring that their cows do not eat up their crops which may lead famine.
“I want to appeal to herders to do their business without destroying another person’s means of.livelihood.
“Yes as a Nigerian, they have the right to do their business anywhere but they do not have the right to destroy another person’s source of livelihood, which is farming”, he said.
While assuring that the services of Amotekun Corps is for all residents in the state, the Commander enjoined all residents to continually corporate with the Agency at ensuring safety of lives and property.
He said all arrested criminals would be profiled before being handed over to appropriate security agencies for comprehensive investigation and diligent prosecution.
