By Tola Gbadamosi

|

Kidnapping and banditry in Ondo have gone down by 90 per cent, The Hope has learnt.

This cheery news is due to the combined efforts of Amotekun corps, the military and other security agencies to confront criminality in the state.

The Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, who gave the hint said security agencies are currently combing the Akoko axis and Ose local government to smoke out bandits still troubling the state.

Adeleye further disclosed that more security agents are currently being deployed to the areas, which border other neighboring states, thereby making them targeted zones for hoodlums.

According to him, the deployment of joint security operatives to the affected areas is intended to ensure that people of Akoko area, especially Akunnu Akoko axis, and other areas, can carry out their legitimate businesses without fear of being molested or kidnapped by hoodlums.

The Amotekun Commander was reacting to the resurgence of kidnapping in some parts of Akoko, which included the abduction of some passengers but later rescued.

He said that following the recent steps taken to man the areas, tremendous success has been achieved, noting that in the last few weeks, no incidents of kidnapping in Ose local government and Akoko areas have been recorded.

“As always, we will continue to secure not only the people but also farmlands to ensure that farmers can move freely into their farms without the fear of being kidnapped.

“We are aware that our efforts will enable farmers to produce food massively, which will help lower the high cost of food in our markets.”

The Amotekun Commander further hinted that the newly launched ‘Operation Safegrounds’ by the State Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is mainly to check the resurgence of criminal activities in some parts of the state and more than before, combat criminal activities both during holidays and on weekends.

The initiative, according to him, is targeted at ensuring that the people of the state can go about their legitimate businesses without criminal threats.

“Let me specifically commend the efforts and support of the Governor for the Corps, which has continued to spur us in nipping crimes in the bud across the 18 local government areas of the state.

“The launch of ‘Operation Safeground’ is undoubtedly a brilliant initiative by the Governor, which is already sanitizing the state of criminal elements, and I must use this medium to warn criminal-minded people to vacate the state or be ready to contend with the strength of the Corps.”

Speaking on the rate of kidnapping, he asserted that it has gone down by more than 90 percent, saying, “we only have them in the borders, the extremes, but on all of these few occasions, we ensure that we rescue the victims and the suspected kidnappers are captured and made to face the music.”

He appealed to the people of the Sunshine State to continue to provide the Corps with useful and timely information, which he said would help them in adequately securing their lives and property.

Adeleye, however, assured that the Corps will, more than ever before, continue to work round the clock to sanitize the state of criminal elements and ensure that residents can retire to their beds with their eyes closed.