The Ekiti State Security Network, popularly called Amotekun corps, has arrested seven suspects in connection with various crimes across the state.
Among the suspects arrested was an ex-convict identified as Deji who was nabbed by the Amotekun operatives for allegedly specialising in attacking commercial motorcyclists and snatching their motorcycles.
Parading the seven suspects at the corps headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday, the Amotekun commander, Brigadier General Joe Komolafe (retd), said the suspects were arrested by men of the corps across different locations in the state following a tip-off by members of the public.
Komolafe explained that the ex-convict alongside his accomplices identified as Ojo was terrorising the people of Ara-Ekiti, Ijero local government area of the state by involving in all kinds of criminal activities including hijacking motorcycles from okada riders at gunpoint.
The commander added that two other suspects identified as Benjamin, Stephen and a lady were arrested in Aisegba-Ekiti, Gbonyin local government area of the state for alleged armed robbery along the Aisegba – Ilumoba road.
He noted that one of the remaining suspects was nabbed around the agric Olope area of Ado-Ekiti for attacking a house and making away with the pomp machine, while a middle-aged woman was arrested for accepting suspected criminals at home as tenants.
Komolafe added that the suspects including the woman’s son who just returned from prison escaped from the house, saying four motorcycles were recovered from the house.
He said: “We made another success in the last few days in our determination to flush out criminal elements from the state and these seven suspects were arrested across the state for armed robbery offences.
“The two suspects arrested in Ara-Ekiti specialised in attacking Okada riders with dangerous weapons to cart away their motorcycles but following intelligence from people we were able to arrest them.
“Also, the suspects arrested in Aisegba-Ekiti were into robbery very early in the morning along the road where many drivers and passengers were their victims.
“We received a distress call on Wednesday that some items especially pomp machine from a building were stolen in agric Olope area of the state capital. We swung into action and the suspect was arrested with the items recovered from him.
“The woman here was arrested for keeping people with questionable characters at home after a series of complaints from neighbours that about 42 motorcycles are always parked in the building and that the occupants return at night. His son an ex-convict escaped from the house but we recovered four motorcycles allegedly stolen from people.”
While appreciating the cooperation of the people in the arrest of the suspects, the Amotekun commander urged residents to be mindful of those they received in their houses and be willing to report strange movements and activities in their domains.
