Akure — The Ondo State Commander of the Western Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, Mr. Adetunji Adeleye, yesterday revealed that over 9,000 herders illegally found their way into the state through the border towns in the last one month.
Adeleye, who also doubles as the special adviser on security matters, made the revelation while parading 31 suspects apprehended for crimes that ranged from kidnapping, rape, burglary, rituals, stealing, arson, illegal possession of firearms among others.
He explained that the 9000 herders who 'illegally' found their way into the state through the border towns have been chased back, adding that the herders always entered the state through the border towns at the dead of the night.
The Amotekun's commander was particularly worried at the sudden influx of herders whom he said "always masquerades in different forms of criminal" to enter the state.
He said: "The reality is that in the last month, we have a very heavy annoying unusual influx of herdsmen to the state. We have to drive them back to where they came from.
"In the last one month, we are confronted with over 9,000 herders against the laws of the land. They moved them in the midnight and they masquerade as different forms of criminals."
Adeleye noted that the herders always come into Ondo through the border communities in Edo, Kogi and now Ekiti States with large numbers of cattle to perpetrate crimes.
According to him, the Amotekun Corps was able to notice that the herders always come to Ondo through trucks with loads and would refuse security patrol to search them.
He emphasised that only herdsmen who registered with the state government would be allowed in the state, and warned the illegal ones to stay clear.
"So, the trend has been on for a long time, especially in the last month but we're now working on different modalities of ensuring that only legitimate herders will be in the state. And the ones who are criminals and are not supposed to be in the state will be driven out of our forest.
"Also, we are directing efforts toward the border towns of state because we noticed that those that found their way to Ondo come through Ekiti State," Adeleye said.
Speaking on the suspects that were nabbed by the local security outfit, Adeleye said that 31 suspects were apprehended for crimes ranging from kidnapping, rape, burglary, rituals, stealing, arson and illegal possession of firearms among several others.
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He noted that many of the suspects that were arrested mostly during the Easter holidays in various locations of Ondo State would be charged to court soon.
The Amotekun boss also revealed that two out of the three residents kidnapped along the Police College on Iju Road in Akure have been rescued while the remaining one would soon be freed.
He revealed that the victims were rescued by the joint operation of the local security outfit, the police and army at a forest between Iju town and Ita Ogbolu.
Adeleye said that the criminals who had already been chased out of the forests were among those wandering the tick forests between Ekiti and Ondo States at midnight.
He, however, assured the people of the state of security of life and property and advised them to always report suspected movement in their environs to the security agencies.
Adeleye added that Amotekun is determined to make the region uncomfortable for criminals.
