Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the State Security Network Agency to set up six additional control points within state forests to combat criminal activities threatening residents.
The State Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading nine suspects at the corps' headquarters in Akure.
He explained that a new unit within the Amotekun Corps, called "Amot Rangers," would target criminal elements.
According to him, the ‘rangers’ will operate from the newly established control points located in state forests, covering border areas with Edo, Kogi, Kwara, and Ekiti states, and will remain stationed in the forests to curb the activities of miscreants in the state.
He said: "We are carrying out the directives of Mr. Governor under the Ondo State Livestock and Grazing Regulations and Establishment of Ranch Law 2021, as amended, which mandates the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps to oversee and enforce the peaceful relationship between the farmers and headers and inhabitants of the forests.
"In view of Mr. Governor's directives, we are establishing immediately six major control points for a special unit of the Amoteku corps that is coded 'Amot Rangers'. The 'Amot Rangers' will leave and stay in the forests to control the excesses of these miscreants causing trouble in Ondo State.
"These six control points cut across the troubled borders around Edo, Kogi, Kwara, and Ekiti states. In the last 72 hours, men of the Ondo State Security Network had combed every nook and cranny of the four local governments in Akoko, and we've been able to flush out the miscreants.
"As a matter of fact, they even ran away before our men got there. This is to tell them that Ondo State is not a place for terrorists and people with bad intentions to stay. No matter how deep into the forestry area, we remain resolute in ensuring the safety of lives and property in such areas.
"Hence, the Governor has graciously approved that two of the existing control posts in the forest be further reinforced while an additional four, making a total of six, will be put in place. These are to be manned by specially trained Amotekun Rangers whose sole responsibility is to ensure that the nefarious activities of these miscreants are checkmated", he said.
The Amotekun commander also said the decline in the number of suspects paraded can be grossly attributed to the 24-hour patrol of men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency.
"A syndicate that specializes across the state in killing the Okada riders and making away with the Okada includes those to been paraded today. We equally have two of them who attempted to kill the security men put in charge of a petroleum product. We have on display the guns which they used before the long arm of law caught up with them.
He stated that James Amos, 30, and Moses Ponsak, 21, were arrested on charges of robbery, attempted murder, and diesel theft while the siblings - Boboye Matthew, 18, and Boboye Lekan were apprehended for their involvement in stealing, dismantling, and selling motorcycles.
Adeleye also added that Rabiu Mogaji, Daouda Alassin, and Godwin Isaac were arrested at various locations for stealing generators and phones in the absence of their owners.
He noted: "We equally have what we recovered from them on display. Azubuike Okafor Patti was arrested in the act of breaking into houses when the owner had gone to work. Isiaka Audu was arrested for stealing motorcycles and tubas of yams. In all, today, I'm parading these nine suspects to send a warning to thieves, kidnappers, to murderers, that Ondo State is not a place for them to stay.
"Under law and order, we've been able to stabilize the enforcement of laws and order of the state to such an extent that there is stability. In the anti-grazing and farmer-herdsmen relationship, we have some issues regarding the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law but we are putting measures in place to checkmate the excesses.
"Our ultimate goal is that farmers should be able to farm without fear while herders do their businesses without infringing on the rights of the farmers. On labour union matters, I want to deeply on behalf of the government of Undo State appreciate that even despite the pressures of the protests at the beginning of the month, our people recognized the fact to allow dialogue to take centre stage."
"On student affairs, there have been no issues amongst the student union as they equally saw reason with us that a peaceful resolution of the crisis is better.
"On land and chieftaincy issues, areas of disputes are being taken into consideration and the government of Ondo State, especially the ministry of local government, is taking proactive actions to ensure that lives and properties are maintained while the tradition of our people is not underplayed.”
