Amotekun intercepts 149 suspected criminals inside trucks in Ondo

The Ondo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps has intercepted 149 suspects from various black spots in three local government areas of the state.
The suspects, who were tucked inside trucks when they were arrested, said they were in Ondo state on a hunting expedition.

But Ondo Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, who paraded the suspects, said there has been a heavy influx of strange people into the state’s forest reserve areas.

Akogun Adeleye said the acclaimed hunters were arrested around black spots where heavy robbery operations and kidnappings occurred.

He said the suspects carefully concealed their weapons, bags of Indian hemp and cutlasses under their vehicles.

He said: “The pertinent question we are asking them, is, “Why are they hiding their guns”?

“If they are genuine hunters, why not come out openly, one begins to wonder why they would come from the extreme parts of the country to hunt in a village, in a forest they have never been to before in Ondo state.

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“No doubt, as Nigerians, they have the right to go anywhere in the country, but they do not have the right to go with weapons.

“As hunters, we had expected that they would have made consultations to find out their limitations.

“In Ondo State Forestry reserves, the government is very clear, that if you are a hunter and want to go into the forest, you have to register, so that the government, the kings, and the hunters will know that you are there.

He added: “However, we want to appeal to commuters that if you have any reason to do your legitimate business in Ondo state, please consult the relevant agencies and to our Baales, the Kabiyesis, and the good people of the State, we can no longer tolerate this kind of people without mission, entering our forest areas.

“We have very strong reasons to believe that they are the people that turn at night to kidnappers, and armed robbers and commit various crimes, especially in the bad portions of the roads and in the forest reserves of the state.

“When we finish the investigation, we will send them to relevant government agencies for detailed profiling and those that would be sent back to their states will be sent back, but those we find guilty of criminal intentions will be tried in the court of competent jurisdiction.”

Amotekun intercepts 149 suspected criminals inside trucks in Ondo