By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Ondo State Security Network Agency, code named Amotekun Corps, has disclosed that some suspects have been apprehended in connection with the terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
The state Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, stated this on Thursday, while parading 71 persons, who were arrested for various criminal offences across the state.
Recall that suspected terrorists had on June 5, stormed the church, killing about 40 people and injuring many other worshippers.
However, Adeleye did not give the actual figure of the suspected terrorists arrested, but he assured that all people who carried out the attack on the worship center would be arrested.
“As regards the Owo incident, we have recovered the last vehicle they used for that operation and we made some arrests and we have also recovered some vital things which we are working on.
“A number of people have been arrested concerning the Owo issue as well as a number of equipment. On that day, we pursued them to the point that we recovered the vehicle and we are still pursuing them. We have told you that until we get to the root, I can assure you that the perpetrators and their sponsors will be brought to book,” Adeleye said.
Adeleye further explained that the 71 suspects paraded were arrested within the last one month for various offences, ranging from armed robbery, cattle rustling, kidnapping, raping, fraud and human trafficking.
“The 71 suspects were picked while committing offences and others were tracked to their hideouts in the forests. We have been able to get a cartel that specialises in stealing and dismantling motorbikes which we all know as okada. Also, we were able to recover over 50 bikes from these criminals during operation.
“We also got reports from some herdsmen that their cattle were stolen. We went after them and brought the cows back to the Fulani herdsmen that owned the cow. We have a group of small boys who are under 18-year-old that armed themselves and turned themselves into a cartel of criminals in a particular local government in Ondo State.
“They actually belong to a cult group called ‘Agbado’. We were able to arrest 12 out of the 17 members.
“We have about three to four suspected kidnappers and we intend to take most of these suspects, especially the ones we have concluded their investigations to the DPP for onward prosecution in court,” he said
He assured the people of the state that the corps would not relent on its oars until it rids the state of criminal elements, saying, “there is no hiding place for them. They turned the heat on us and we have also turned the heat on them.”
