Amotekun arrests 149 suspected criminals in Ondo

OPERATIVES of the Amotekun Corps have arrested 149 suspected criminals at different black spots within three local government areas of Ondo State.

Commander of corps in the state, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, made the disclosure on Tuesday while parading the suspects before newsmen.

He said the majority of the suspects claimed they came into the state as hunters.

Adeleye added that the suspects were arrested with guns, bags of Indian hemp and cutlasses.

He also said the suspects were arrested where robbery and kidnapping usually occur in the local government areas of the state.

“They surprisingly and carefully concealed and kept their weapons, bags of Indian hemp and cutlasses under their vehicles and claimed they were coming from different parts of the country.

“The pertinent question we are asking 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 had never been to.

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

According to him, Nigerians have the right to go anywhere in the country but do not have the right to go with weapons.

The Amotekun boss said that after the conclusion of investigations, the suspects would be taken to the relevant government agencies for detailed profiling.

“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, kings and the hunters will know that you are there,” Chief Adetunji Adeleye said.