The Ondo State Security Network otherwise known as Amotekun Corps has assured travellers plying Ondo/Osun states and other boundary link roads in Ondo State of their safety.
Addressing newsmen at the headquarters of the formation at Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye said that the joint inter-border patrol tagged: “Operation Gba’le Gba’ko” has yielded positive results.
He said criminals operating, particularly along Ife/Ilesha/Akure highway have been dislodged from the forests along the axis.
Adeleye who doubles as the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, revealed that the joint patrol teams of Ondo and Osun Amotekun Corps moved on the highway from dusk to dawn to prevent armed robbers who usually attacked travellers from carrying out their dastardly operations.
According to him, other forests linking Ondo State with other neighbouring states have also been put under surveillance by the formation.
He said, “We want to assure all travellers coming in and out of Ondo State that the roads are now safe.
“Our joint inter-border patrol, which we tagged: Operation Gba’le Gba’ko, has yielded great success.
“All the forests along Ife/Ilesha/Owena/Akure highway have been combed and criminals dislodged to prevent them from attacking and dispossessing travellers of their money and goods, particularly at night.
“Other forests on border stretch of Ondo State with other neighbouring states are being monitored by our men to prevent criminals from using the forests as their hideout.
“We are working together with other security agencies in our state to make our state a safe haven and this has checked the activities of criminals in the state.”
The Amotekun Corps commander lamented that his men are being attacked by some unscrupulous individuals when fighting crime in their communities.
He said despite the fact that the Amotekun corps were armed, they were attacked because the citizens knew they would not shoot at them.
Akogun Adeleye, therefore, called on community leaders, traditional rulers, parents and guidance to caution their subjects, children and wards to stop attacking security agents who take risks to protect them.
He disclosed how one of the officials of Amotekun corps was attacked with a farm tool, Go-To-Hell, by a suspect who was resisting arrest.
Though the official attacked was armed, he didn’t shoot his attacker who was eventually arrested.
The affected corp was saved by the Trauma Centre of University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital in Ondo City having list much blood.
“It is unfortunate that we have overcome the issue of banditry in our state, but we are being faced with attacks from our people who we are protecting.
“There was an incident where we went to restore peace where two groups were fighting. When they sighted us, the two groups faced us and started shooting, throwing stone at us.. We lost one of our men in the process.
“Throughout this incident, we didn’t engage them in gun duel. We succeeded in arresting some of them.
“It’s high time our community leaders, traditional rulers, parents and guidance educated their people that we are security agency protecting them through conventional and unconventional means.
“They should stop attacking our men. Though we have instructed and trained our men not to shoot when being provoked, anyone who attacks our men shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
“Let me educate these unscrupulous individuals that Amotekun Corps is a product of legislative act by Ondo State House of Assembly. Anyone found breaching the law and order of the land would be arrested and prosecuted by Amotekun Corps.
“Amotekun Corps was not established as a rival security agency but rather to complement the operations of other existing security agencies in the state to protect life and property of the citizenry,” Adeleye said.
