Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Akure, Ondo State — The Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, has apprehended 39 suspected terrorists who reportedly fled northern Nigeria and took refuge in forested areas of the state in the aftermath of recent United States‑backed military airstrikes targeting extremist elements in the country’s northwest.
Amotekun operatives, under the leadership of State Commander Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, that the arrests were made as part of a wider ember‑month security operation carried out across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State. The 39 suspects were intercepted at the Elegbeka axis in Ose Local Government Area, a location long recognised as a security flashpoint due to its history of criminal activity.
According to Adeleye, the suspects voluntarily claimed during preliminary questioning that they had fled Sokoto State after intensified military pressure — including recent air operations conducted jointly by U.S. and Nigerian forces against ISIS‑linked militants in the northwest — in search of sanctuary in the forests of southwestern Nigeria.
“The influx of these elements into our forest reserves is a serious security concern,” the Amotekun commander said, adding that the suspects were found hidden deep within the bush with vehicles parked at a distance to avoid detection before they were apprehended.
Amotekun’s arrest of the 39 individuals forms part of a larger campaign in which over 100 suspects have been detained across the state for various offences, including kidnapping, armed robbery, breach of law and order, anti‑open grazing violations, and gender‑based violence. Of those, 61 suspects were paraded at the agency’s headquarters in Akure, with the 39 terror suspects among them.
The state command has emphasised that the suspects are undergoing profiling and investigation, and that those found in possession of incriminating materials or weapons will face prosecution. Adeleye also reiterated that forest areas are regulated zones requiring permits to inhabit, warning that illegal encampments pose risks to both residents and regional security.
Security officials described the arrests as evidence of improved collaboration among state and regional security outfits, noting that strengthened patrols and intelligence sharing have enhanced border surveillance within the South‑West — a response partly informed by recent counter‑terrorism efforts in the North.
The development comes amid ongoing debates over national security, particularly the movement of armed groups within Nigeria and the role of coordinated responses between federal military operations and regional security forces such as Amotekun. Observers say the arrests underscore the fluid dynamics of insurgent activity, where heightened pressure in one region can displace suspected elements into other areas, challenging security agencies to adapt quickly.
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