Security agencies in Ondo State have stepped up efforts to flush out criminal elements, launching a coordinated bush-combing operation across identified black spots in Akure North Local Government Area.
The joint operation, carried out on Monday, involved personnel of the Amotekun Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Army.
Operatives combed dense forest corridors stretching from the back of HOB Estate through Ilado, Ilu-Abo, and Ala-Dada communities, navigating difficult terrain on foot, motorcycles, and operational vehicles.
During the several-hour exercise, security personnel dismantled and set ablaze suspected hideouts believed to be used by kidnappers and other criminal elements.
Two suspected kidnappers were also intercepted in the course of the operation.
Speaking on the development, the Commander of the Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), Adetunji Adeleye, described the exercise as part of a sustained joint task force strategy to rid the state’s forests of criminal activities.
He said Amotekun operatives, drawing on their local knowledge of the terrain, provided intelligence that guided other security agencies to identified hotspots, leading to the successful dislodgement of suspected criminals.
Adeleye noted that the operation involved a rigorous four to five-hour trek through thick forest terrain, underscoring the commitment of security agencies to restoring safety in the area.
“This is a deliberate and continuous operation. The message is clear—there is no safe haven for criminals in Ondo State. We will continue to comb all identified black spots until criminal activities are completely eradicated,” he said.
He, however, declined to disclose specific locations of the black spots for security reasons.
Residents have begun to feel the impact of the intensified security efforts. A local farmer, Mr. Rotimi Adeyanju, commended the state government under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for improving security in the area.
“I appreciate what the governor is doing. We can now go to our farms safely. Seeing security operatives in these areas gives us confidence,” he said.
Authorities reaffirmed that the bush-combing exercise would be sustained as part of broader measures to tackle insecurity and protect lives and property across the state.
