Amotekun Arrests 46 Suspects, Including Couple for Burglary in Ondo State

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as the Amotekun Corps, has arrested 46 suspected criminals across the 18 local government areas in Ondo State.

Among those arrested are Samson Osowe and his wife, Ayo Oguneso. They are accused of breaking into the home of a former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mrs Jumoke Akindele, in Okitipupa and stealing her belongings.

The suspects were paraded at the corps' headquarters in Alagbaka, Akure. The Commander of the corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, announced that while the couple was arrested, they recovered seven stolen mobile phones and other valuables. The items were supposed to be smuggled to Lagos for sale.

Adeleye said, "I’m happy to let you know that all the phones stolen from the former speaker are here in front of the suspects, and the two suspects are right here with us, Samson Osowe, 28, male, and his wife, Ayo Oguneso, 22, including the transporter who was supposed to take the phones out of Okitipupa to Lagos."

He also mentioned, "We equally have the accomplice, but because we expanded our scope of investigation to other issues, that is why others, not only directly related, have been on our watch list in that local government."

Adeleye stated that they took measures to arrest the suspects and said they would face court soon. The stolen phones will be returned to the Right Honourable Speaker.

The Amotekun commander explained that some of the other suspects were involved in various crimes, such as kidnapping and violating the anti-open grazing law. He noted, "Out of these 46, 13 are suspected kidnappers, two were arrested for violating the anti-open grazing law, while 31 were arrested for different criminal activities, which include cultism, illegal possession of firearms, breach of peace, theft of iron, and other domestic criminal activities. The suspected kidnappers were arrested in the Government Reserve Area of Owo."

Adeleye listed some of the suspects, saying, "There’s one Muhammad Tati in Ilu-Abo, Akure North; Izij and Genesis Oda Road, Iluwabu, Itiu, Roshukari, Akoko, and also in the forest reserve of Owo. We arrested Usman, 25; Musa, 20; Bakary, 28; Muhammad, 23; Hosseini, 35; and David, 26. In connection with the kidnapping that took place along the railroad axis, we were able to arrest them."

He added, "We have two brothers, Usman and Usman, and one Zakaria. As an informant, we have Seidu, who was arrested while preparing to buy food and other items for the kidnappers. We also arrested a 20-year-old Ayuba and one Umaru for violating the anti-open grazing law in our local government."

Adeleye assured the public that the corps is dedicated to maintaining security in the state. He said all units are active across the 18 local government areas as part of a Sallah patrol.