Hardship fueling rise in burglary, other petty crimes in Ondo – Amotekun

The Ondo State Security Network (Amotekun) has assessed the security situation in the state, saying the harsh economic situation has changed its dimensions leading to more burglary activities and thefts.

While parading 27 suspects on Tuesday at the agency’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital, the Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, said there was however a drop in the cases of kidnappings.

He said there were about three cases of kidnapping in the border communities between Ondo and Kogi, Edo and Ekiti states.

“What the security situation as enumerated is telling us is that as a result of the harsh economic situation we have in the country, there are more cases of house breaking,” Mr Adeleye said.

Barely a month ago, a man, wife and children were paraded by Amotekun for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing bags of rice in Akure.

Hardship

The prices of food items and other goods have become unaffordable with the increases in petrol pump price resulting from the end in the subsidy regime.

The inflation rate has also been blamed on the high exchange rates which has greatly brought the value of the naira so low.

The suspects paraded on Tuesday were those arrested for various offences in the last two weeks in the state.

Parade

One of those paraded was a 30-year-old man who allegedly engaged in malicious damage, cultism, and attempted murder of law enforcement agents.

The commander reported: “We have a 42-year-old man who attacked Amotekun officers in a bid to cover his nefarious activity by the name Gbenro.

“We equally have Samuel Peter, 21-year-old man, who engaged in an attempted murder and one Akimade Friday, who outrightly murdered and killed a 65-year-old man. This is a 20-year-old boy.

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“In the same way, we narrowed down on one Segun Owolabi, 20 years old, that engages in stealing motorcycles and robbing to dispossess rightful owners.

“We have a gang that specialises in burgling houses, especially when owners of such houses are not in their houses. We have Toba, Pelumi, Ogumade, Oriade, whose age bracket ranges between 22 and 25.

“We equally have Shegwo Yusuf, who engages in malicious damage of household properties.”

Herders/farmers crisis

The corps commander added that there were five issues of unlawful grazing even as the issues were amicably settled between the affected farmers and the herders.

He said the leadership of the herdsmen agreed to pay damages, while also paying the fines for infringement.

Mr Adeleye however noted that in general, Ondo State is peaceful and community friendly, urging residents to go about businesses, while calling on farmers to go to their farms.

He said Amotekun Rangers are located in the forest areas to forestall any attacks from miscreants.

“I want to assure the residents of Ondo State that the Ondo State Security Network Agency will continue to engage criminals, both within the town and in the forest, towards ensuring that people can sleep with their two eyes closed in their houses, farmers can go to their farms and commuters can travel without fear, especially as the Yuletide period is coming in,” he added.