The Ondo State Security Network codenamed “Amotekun Corps” in collaboration with other security agencies, has confirmed the arrest of some perpetrators of the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, recovering some weapons and the vehicle used in the attack.
LEADERSHIP reported that 40 worshippers died in the attack on June 5, 2022 while many were injured.
Similarly, the Corps has paraded 71 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, Okada snatchers and human traffickers.
Parading the suspects, the State Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, who did not give the specific number and other details of the arrested Owo church attackers, said the corps was still working with other sister security agencies to track all the perpetrators.
Akogun Adeleye appealed to the people of Ondo State especially those at the border towns on the Akoko-Owo-Ose axis to remain calm and support security men to rid the forests of criminals.
On the 71 suspects paraded in Akure on Thursday, the Amotekun Commander said they would be charged to court for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.
Adeleye said, “several people have been arrested concerning the two attacks and I am telling you for free that the last vehicle they used before they jumped into the bush has been recovered.
“We pursued them to that point and we are still pursuing them, we will get to the root of it.
“The suspects being paraded were arrested within the last one month for crimes ranging from armed robbery, cattle rustling, kidnapping, and fraud.
“These 71 suspects were picked while committing offences and others were tracked to their hideouts in the forest.
“We have been able to break a cartel that specialises in stealing and dismantling motorbikes (Okada). We have over 30 motorbikes recovered during a one-day operation.
“We also got a report from some herdsmen that their cattle were stolen and rustled and we went after them we recovered them and returned them to the owners.
“We have a group of small boys under 18 years that formed themselves into a cartel of criminals in a particular local government area of the State and armed themselves.
“They belong to a cult group called ‘Agbado’, 12 of them were arrested.
“We also have four kidnappers and we intend to take most of these suspects, especially, all the ones we’ve concluded investigation on to the Department of Public Prosecution for onwards prosection.
“We want to reassure the good people of Ondo State that we will not rest until we get to the bottom of the matter and rid the state of criminal elements.
“We are intensifying efforts to get to the root of the mischievous act of these criminal elements. So, to the people in the northern Senatorial district, especially the border towns in Akoko, we will continue with the operation clean-up in the forest there until the last of these criminals are driven out of these forests,” Adeleye said.
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