Amotekun Arrests 39 Suspects Allegedly Fleeing Sokoto After US Airstrikes, Hiding in Ondo Forests

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as the Amotekun Corps, has arrested 39 suspects who allegedly fled Sokoto State and took refuge in forest reserves in Ondo State.

The State Commander of Amotekun, Mr. Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this on Tuesday in Akure while parading the suspects alongside 22 others arrested for various criminal offences across the state.

According to Adeleye, the 39 suspects were apprehended at the Elegbeka axis of Ose Local Government Area, a location identified as a long-standing security flashpoint. He said the suspects claimed they relocated to Ondo forests following a recent United States–backed military strike against ISIS terrorists in northern Nigeria.

“About a few days ago, these 39 individuals were arrested together at Elegbeka, an area with a history of serious security incidents,” Adeleye said. “They told our operatives that they moved into the forest after military pressure in the northern part of the country.”

He noted that Elegbeka has remained a hotspot for criminal activity, which prompted the establishment of a permanent Amotekun control post in the forest to address kidnapping and armed robbery.

“The government has made it clear that anyone residing in forest areas must obtain proper permits. The sudden presence of these individuals raises serious security concerns,” he added.

The commander said the suspects were not intercepted while travelling but were found hiding within the forest, with their vehicles parked at distant locations to avoid detection.

“We tracked and arrested them. Profiling is still ongoing, and those found with incriminating items will be prosecuted accordingly,” Adeleye stated.

He explained that the arrests were part of Amotekun’s ember-month security operations, which involved multiple deployments across the state. As the patrol period draws to a close, the agency has arrested about 100 suspects, 61 of whom were paraded on Tuesday.

Providing a breakdown, Adeleye said 50 suspects were arrested for breach of law and order, two for violations of the anti-open grazing law, six for kidnapping-related offences, and three for rape and other gender-based violence offences.

Investigations into the cases are ongoing.