The Ondo State Government has ordered men of Amotekun Corps to escort 42 men apprehended in Okitipupa, the headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area out of the state.
The men, believed to be of Northern extraction from Kano and Jigawa states, were said to have arrived in the town, on Thursday evening, last week.
The arrival of the men had created suspense and apprehension among the residents of the town who quickly alerted the security agencies.
When interrogated, the men said they were brought into the state by a non-profit organisation to undergo training as security agents at the Nigerian Army barracks in the town. However, the authorities of the barracks did not give them access because there was no signal to that effect from their headquarters.
Addressing journalists on the development, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo, disclosed that if not for the timely intervention of officials of government, particularly Amotekun Commander and the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Security Matters, the situation would have degenerated to the extent of lynching and jungle justice.
According to him, the 42 men have been escorted by Amotekun Corps to the boundary with a neighboring state, from where they will find their way back to their destinations.
Ojogo advised the people of the state, especially government officials to be careful of their utterances in a security-related situation like this.
“I have the instructions and the directive of Mr. Governor to use this medium inform everybody, particularly, government officials, that any security situation we found ourselves, the first point of contact must be security agencies,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer of the Akure based 32 Artilery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Captain Ayorinde Omojokun disclosed that the men were not allowed into the premises of the barracks as they were handed over to the police.
He added that the Army did not have any signal to conduct any form of training in Okitipupa barracks.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Police Command, DSP Tee-Leo Ikoro revealed that following the tip of by residents, the men were rounded up by the police and handed over to the Amotekun Corps.
