Crackdown in the Southwest: Amotekun Apprehends APC Chieftain’s Killer, 31 Others
In a decisive clampdown on criminal activities across Ondo State, operatives of the Amotekun Corps have arrested 32 suspects linked to a range of offences, including the alleged killing of Mr. Nelson Adepoyigi, a ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The arrests, carried out in various parts of the state, mark a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to tackle rising insecurity.
Mr. Adepoyigi was abducted last month near the entrance of his farm along the Ifon-Owo road in Ose Local Government Area. He was seized alongside two others by armed men. According to Amotekun officials, one of the main suspects behind the killing has been apprehended, has confessed to the crime, and led security operatives to a forest hideout where items taken from the victims’ families were recovered.
Parading the suspects in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, Amotekun Commander Akogun Adetunji Adeleye said the arrests were the result of coordinated operations across all 18 local government areas of the state. The suspects are facing allegations ranging from kidnapping and armed robbery to rape, theft, and violations of the anti-open grazing law.
“Today, we are parading 32 suspects arrested for various breaches of the law in Ondo State,” Adeleye stated. “Among them is a key suspect in the murder of an APC ward chairman in Ose LGA. He has confessed and taken us to the forest where some of the stolen items were recovered.”
Adeleye also highlighted that the presence of Amotekun Rangers and other security personnel in previously volatile areas like Ago-Oyinbo, Ago-Dada, and Powerline in Akure North had brought stability. He noted that no attacks on farmers or residents had been reported in the past two weeks.
The commander gave a detailed breakdown of the arrests: 20 individuals were detained for general law violations; 10 for kidnapping—several of whom were identified by victims; two for armed robbery; one for rape; and one for breaching the anti-grazing law. No arrests were made concerning labour disputes, land or chieftaincy conflicts, or human trafficking within the period reviewed.
Among the arrested kidnapping suspects are Ali (35), Habeeb (30), Bobade (45), Shedrak (25), Adamu (25), Adelewa (20), Suleiman (40), Mohamed (20), Suleiman Isiaka (18), and Husseini (18). These suspects were apprehended in Ute-Owo Forest, Jugbere Forest, and Ipele in Owo.
On the charge of armed robbery, a 23-year-old named Michael was arrested in the Roscoe area of Odigbo, while another suspect, Lawal (37), was apprehended for forgery, false information, and aiding and abetting robbery in the Powerline area.
Adeleye reaffirmed the state’s commitment to fighting crime, emphasizing that Amotekun, in collaboration with other security agencies, will continue to pursue justice and ensure peace across Ondo State.
