By Tola Gbadamosi

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The Commander of the Ondo state security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), Chief Adetunji Adeleye has disclosed that the agency’s Operation Clean Up arrested 120 criminals during 15 robbery incidences in the last one month.
Adeleye made this disclosure in an interview at the Corps headquarters in Alagbaka. He said “since we started Operation Clean-Up about a month ago, we’ve arrested about 120 criminals and sanity is coming back to the state.
He added that some of the criminals had been sent to the police, some to the NSCDC and others to the Department of State Services for more diligent investigation and prosecution.
“Initially, we started general security operatives with other security agencies until after the #EndSARS protests when there was an upsurge in criminal activities in the state and Amotekun launched Operation Clean-Up.
“We recorded over 15 robbery cases in Akure within one month, which had not happened before. We appealed to the state government to impose a ban on the use of motorcycles at night and the government acceded to it.
The Amotekun boss further explained that since the Operation Clean Up started, criminal activities have reduced by 80 per cent, noting that out of the 15 robbery cases, 13 were carried out with the use of motorcycles; “the robbers escaped on motorcycles. But now, at night, sanity is coming back and the situation is better.
“In the Operation Clean-Up, we have a full detachment of policemen going out with us on patrols because we know the interior, they only follow. When we get to where we need superior weapons to be used, they assist us.
In Ondo State, we don’t have problem of rivalry or working at cross purposes. There are no clashes of interests because most of our operations are in concert with them and other security operatives.
“There were instances, like in some kidnap cases that we burst, where we got our coordinates from the DSS. They give us this vital information, we put it on the table, analyse and we implement. So far, it’s been successful.
On the herdsmen and farmers reconciliation efforts, he said, 560 farmers have officially reported their cases. “And we make sure those farmers and herdsmen agreed on some terms and report back to us.
“We make sure the herdsmen write undertaking that they will not go back to farmer’s farm again. If we found weapons on them, it’s a separate case which shall be taken be handed over to Civil Defence or the police,” he said.