Amotekun intercepts 97 suspects as Ondo forests face infiltration threat

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, has paraded 97 suspects arrested over the past 14 days for offences ranging from kidnapping and armed robbery to unlawful occupation of forest reserves. Commander Adetunji Adeleye disclosed this while raising serious concerns about what appears to be a coordinated movement of people into forest areas across the state.

According to Adeleye, some of those intercepted included women and children travelling with household items like bedding, cooking utensils, and mortars. One individual told investigators he invited only two people to work for him, but those two brought 51 others. The commander stated, "We have a group that was invited by some members of these northern groups to come and destabilise the peace in the southern part of the state." Another group of 16 persons allegedly invited by a farmer was intercepted heading towards the Ose/Owo forest axis.

In a separate incident, gunmen abducted the Baale of Ode Oriya Village in Owo Local Government Area, Mr. Adeniyi Adelana, on Saturday evening. Six armed men stormed his residence at about 8:05 p.m. and whisked him away through a bush path. His wife sustained a gunshot injury to her right hand and is now responding to treatment. The police have launched a search-and-rescue operation. How many more community leaders will be taken before we take forest infiltration seriously?