Akure, March 23, 2025 | The streets of Ondo State felt a little safer today or at least that’s the hope after the Amotekun Corps, the state’s security network, paraded 58 suspected criminals, including 32 accused kidnappers, at their Akure headquarters. The dramatic showcase, held over the weekend, capped a week of intense operations across forests and urban corners, aimed at flushing out those behind a recent surge in insecurity. As dusk settles tonight, the message from Amotekun is loud: Ondo’s not a playground for lawbreakers anymore.
Commander Adetunji Adeleye, the no-nonsense head of Amotekun, stood front and center as the suspects hands bound, faces grim lined up for the cameras. “In the last week alone, we nabbed 32 kidnap suspects,” he said, his voice steady with resolve. “That’s on top of 26 others tied to everything from theft to violence.” The haul comes after Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered a statewide sweep, spurred by a string of abductions and killings that’ve kept residents on edge especially in hotspots like Akure North, where recent bloodshed had folks locking doors tighter than usual.
The operation wasn’t a solo act. Adeleye credited reinforcements from across Ondo’s 18 local government areas, alongside other security outfits, for storming known criminal hideouts deep in forest reserves and tucked away in urban shadows. “We smoked them out,” he said, painting a picture of a relentless push that’s restored “normalcy” to rattled communities like Ago Dada and Ago Oyinbo in Akoko North. For locals like Bose Adeyemi, a trader near Akure, it’s a flicker of relief. “You hear about kidnappings and wonder who’s next,” she said. “Seeing these people caught it’s something.”
The 58 suspects tell a story of Ondo’s underbelly. The kidnappers, Adeleye explained, were scooped up amid interrogations that are still peeling back layers of their networks. The rest? A mixed bag thieves, vandals, maybe worse, each a piece of the puzzle Amotekun’s trying to solve. Posts on X buzzed with the news, some praising the corps’ muscle (@Denokgist called it a “crackdown on hideouts”), others marveling at the sheer number (58, per @YemieFash and @DejiAdesogan). But beneath the applause, there’s a murmur of skepticism: can this hold?
Ondo’s no stranger to Amotekun parades past hauls have topped 60 suspects, like the 62 nabbed in December 2023 (Web ID 5) or the 48 in June 2024 (Web ID 3). Each time, the corps flexes, promising peace. Yet the kidnappings keep coming, a stubborn thorn in a state where forests double as bandit lairs and roads turn treacherous after dark. Adeleye’s upbeat tone “we’re committed to flushing them out” clashes with a nagging reality: 32 kidnappers in a week suggests the problem’s roots run deep, maybe deeper than patrols can reach.
For now, the focus is on reassurance. “The government’s effort is paying off,” Adeleye insisted, nodding to a joint task force that’s got eyes everywhere woods, towns, you name it. Residents are urged to keep feeding tips, a lifeline for a corps that thrives on community trust. But as the suspects face interrogation and likely the courts questions linger. Are these the masterminds or just foot soldiers? And with 58 off the streets, how many more are still out there?
Tonight, Akure’s quieter, the parade’s echoes fading into the hum of Sunday life. For folks like Bose, it’s a chance to breathe easier, even if just for a moment. “I hope they keep it up,” she said, glancing at the darkening sky. “We’re tired of being afraid.” In a state battling its demons, Amotekun’s latest move is a bold strike but whether it’s a turning point or just another chapter, only time will tell.