The Ondo State Government has established a security joint task force to restore safety in affected areas jn response to escalating insecurity.
This initiative follows recent attacks by suspected bandits in the Aba Oyinbo community of Akure North Local Government Area, where five farmers were killed.
Additionally, another attack across four communities in the same local government claimed 14 lives, sparking protests by farmers in Akure, the state capital.
Addressing journalists in Akure on Sunday, the Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, revealed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa spearheaded the formation of the task force, which brings together all security agencies.
He assured residents that farming activities could resume without fear, as the government was actively working to secure remote areas.
“We want to reassure the residents of this state that they can continue their normal farming activities as the government has established a joint task force to stabilise the very remote areas of Akure North, where these nefarious activities take place,” Adeleye stated.
He further disclosed that the government was working to improve road access in the affected areas to facilitate swift emergency response.
To prevent a recurrence of attacks, security posts will be strategically placed in the troubled locations.
“We are all aware of the criminal activities that happened in the deep forest of Akure North Local Government Area of the state. The government had drafted a joint patrol team comprising the army, the police, the NSCDC and Amotekun men, and we’ve been able to restore normalcy to the Ago Oyinbo, Ago Dada, Ago Ademekun, Ago Sunday and its environs,” Adeleye explained.
He emphasized that the government had directed the establishment of Amotekun security posts in these remote areas as a proactive measure to deter future attacks.
“Now normalcy has been restored in the area and the government has directed that Amotekun posts be put in place as a control point in those remote areas to prevent a situation where after the exit of the present team these marauders can come back. So these are part of the measure of the government in ensuring peace and stability, not only in Akure North but generally in the states,” he added.
In a significant breakthrough, Adeleye disclosed that Amotekun operatives, in collaboration with other security forces, had apprehended 32 suspected kidnappers hiding in the state’s forests.
He detailed that the arrests were made across Akure South, Akure North, Ose, and Akoko North-East Local Government Areas.
“In recent times, we have had an upsurge of criminal activities, including kidnapping, in Ondo State. The officers and men of the Ondo State security network mobilised additional support from the neighbouring local government and entered into the forest reserves and areas noted for these nefarious activities. In the last week, we were able to arrest 32 suspects for kidnapping that are undergoing different stages of interrogation. We have a total of 58 men that we are parading today,” he said.
Providing further details, he stated that all 32 suspected kidnappers were flushed out of the forests, particularly in crime-prone locations.
“Part of these 32 suspected kidnappers are people arrested around Akure North, Akure South, Ose and Akoko North-East local government in the last week. They were smoked out of the forests. All of them were smoked out of the forest reserve areas of the state and around the places where these unfortunate situations are happening,” Adeleye noted.
He assured that security forces remain on high alert in the affected areas, adding that sustained patrols will help keep criminals at bay.
“As a result of the recent killings in the Akure North LG axis, officers and men from all security agencies, including Amotekun, have been parading the area and as I said, normalcy has been restored in those areas. We are talking about the Ago Dada, Ago Oyinbo, Ago Ademekun and its environment,” he concluded.
The government’s decisive action signals a renewed commitment to tackling insecurity and ensuring that residents, particularly farmers, can go about their daily activities without fear.
