By Tola Gbadamosi

|

Men of the State Security Network, Amotekun Corps are now combing the forest on the trail of bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, who invaded Molege community in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State over the weekend.

Reports had it that during the invasion, three lives were reportedly lost and several houses damaged.

The state Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye made this known during his visit to the affected community in company of the Special Assistant on Security to the Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo.

It was gathered that, while men of the Amotekun Corps got a tip-off about the incident and were on their way to salvage the situation at Molege on the fateful day, they were ambushed by the notorious herders who hid themselves on trees by the roadsides and made an unprovoked attack on the vehicle leading the Corps’ team.

Adeleye, while speaking with The Hope Metro in an interview, revealed that his men are seriously combing the local government’s forest in an attempt to nab the perpetrators.
According to him, “It was an unfortunate situation. We have chased them across the river into the neighbouring Edo State and we are going to maintain 24 hours vigilance around the community to ensure they don’t come back.

“Normalcy has returned to the ravaged Molege community and the situation is now calm as residents who scampered for safety have started returning to their respective homes.
“We mapped out the environment and we realised that the herders left some of their cows in the bush and my people are still combing the forest to see if we could make any arrest.
“You know we cannot be everywhere at the same time and we encourage the people of Ute, Arimogija and Imoru communities to give us timely information through our distress numbers.

“But I can assure you, that all the security agencies which include the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Amotekun Corps are on ground to ensure that there is adequate security for the lives and property of the people in Ose and the state in general”, he assured.

The Amotekun boss who visited the Olumoru of Imoru, a former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oba Oluwarotimi Obamuwagun, urged the Ose Community youths to be proactive in disseminating information that would enable proper investigation towards nipping crimes in the bud.

Responding, the monarch, Oba Obamuwagun appreciated the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the establishment of the security outfit, saying “if there was no such, these herders would have been invading our homes uninvited.
“I must commend the Amotekun Corps for their swift responses to distress calls and to crimes scenes and for living up to the purposes for which it was established”, he said.
Earlier, it was reported, that the Ondo state Commissioner of Police, Mr Oyeyemi Oyediran had ordered the immediate deployment of men of the Command’s Special Squads to Molege community.

The police commissioner who was on the spot assessment to ascertain the level of damages caused in the area, directed his men to ensure the protection of lives and property in the community.
He allayed their fears and vowed to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the evil act accordingly.

He enjoined the people to give the Police genuine information that will help reduce crime to the barest minimum in the State.