Security forces in Southwest Nigeria have intercepted a significant group of suspected terrorists who were reportedly fleeing airstrikes in the country's northern regions. The Ondo State Security Network, better known as the Amotekun Corps, announced the arrest of 39 individuals discovered hiding in the Elegbeka Forest within Ose Local Government Area.
The Corps Commandant, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, revealed the arrest during a parade of 61 suspected criminals in Akure. He stated that the group, aged between 18 and 45, admitted to relocating due to "the heat turned on them" by recent military operations up north. "They claimed that as a result of the heat turned on them in the northern part of the country, they are relocating to the forest," Adeleye explained.
A Suspicious Hideout and Ongoing Profiling
Commandant Adeleye highlighted that the circumstances were suspicious, as the men were "hibernating" deep in the forest with two vehicles parked at a distance. "They were not trekking," he noted, emphasizing this indicated a planned operation rather than a disorganized flight.
The Amotekun commander confirmed that a thorough profiling of the suspects is underway. While those without criminal evidence may be repatriated, individuals found with "incriminating equipment and materials will surely be prosecuted." The sudden influx of such elements, he stressed, raises serious security questions for the state, especially given existing laws requiring permits to occupy forest reserves.
A Broader Crackdown in the Sunshine State
The arrests are part of a wider security sweep across Ondo State. Adeleye reported that about 100 suspects were arrested statewide in recent operations, with 61 paraded on Monday. The breakdown includes 50 arrests for breaches of law and order, two for violating anti-open grazing laws, six for kidnapping, and three for gender-based violence and rape.
Specific high-profile arrests were also detailed, including suspects apprehended in the act of kidnapping in Ofosu-Odigbo and others captured for armed robbery in Akure North.
This major interception by the Amotekun Corps underscores a critical new phase in Nigeria's counter-terrorism efforts: the risk of insurgent displacement. As military pressure intensifies in the northwest and northeast, security agencies in southern and central states are now on high alert to prevent terrorists from establishing new footholds and safe havens in previously less-affected regions.
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