By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The Ondo state security outfit codenamed Amotekun, has arrested 39 suspected terrorists who fled Sokoto state after the Christmas Day airstrikes carried out by the United States military in Nigeria’s North-West.

Parading 100 suspected criminals arrested across the state, the state commander of the security outfit, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said that the 39 suspected bandits claimed they fled from Sokoto state.

Adeleye said that after escaping from the Northern parts of the state, they relocated to the forests in the state.

Adeleye said that ” A couple of days ago, 39 suspects were arrested, all together, claiming that as a result of the heat turned on them in the northern part of the country, they are relocating into the forest.

“We are still profiling them, and after the profiling, we may have to send them back, but those found with incriminating equipment and materials will surely be prosecuted.

“The government has made its position known. For you to stay in our forest areas, you must obtain permits.

“So, the sudden influx of this element poses a lot of questions that we are still working on. I have them equally arraigned.

Adeleye added that the synergy between the border patrols of Ekiti/ Ondo, Osun/Ondo, Ogun/Ondo have yielded tremendous results such that we have some suspects not paraded today because we’ve not completed investigations, that we had to go to Ogun State to bring them back.

Speaking on other suspects paraded, the commander said ” We have arrested about 100 suspects, out of which 61 are on parade today, 50 of them engaged in breaking of law and order, two on anti-open grazing , six on kidnapping related cases, and three on abuse of gender and rape.

The commander said that the age bracket of the suspects ranged between 18 and 45 years.

On alleged rape, Adeleye said that three suspects, including a 19 year-old Daniel Ojo, a 33-year-old Usman, and one Bejide, 41, have been arrested in Isinkan area of the Akure, the state capital.

Adeleye appreciated the state governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ” for giving us an enabling environment to thrive.We thank all security agencies in the state, the police, the civil defense, the army, the DSS, the vigilantes, and the public generally for the support we received from them.