Four Amotekun Officers Killed In Brutal Ambush Attack In Ondo
Four officers of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun Corps, have reportedly been killed in an ambush by unknown armed men in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
However, the Corps has officially confirmed the death of two of its personnel, while another officer was said to have sustained fatal injuries during the attack.
The incident reportedly occurred as the operatives were leaving their operational base in the Ago-Oyinbo farming area, around Ala Daadaa, when the assailants suddenly opened fire on them.
According to the Corps’ spokesperson, Jimoh Adeniken, the officers engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle but were overwhelmed by the sudden assault.
“Despite the bravery and resistance put up by the officers, one sustained fatal injuries and two unfortunately lost their lives,” Adeniken said, describing the deceased as personnel who “paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.”
Following the attack, reinforcements were immediately deployed to the area as security operatives launched efforts to track down the perpetrators.
Adeniken said the Corps had also intensified patrols, intelligence gathering and other security operations around the affected communities to prevent a recurrence and restore confidence among residents.
He said the Ondo State Government, the Corps Commander and its management had commiserated with the families, colleagues and associates of the fallen officers.
The Corps also praised the deceased personnel for their courage and sacrifice in the course of protecting residents and maintaining security in the state.
The families of the slain operatives, meanwhile, expressed appreciation to the Ondo State Government and the Amotekun leadership for their commitment to giving the deceased a befitting burial.
They also appealed to the government to consider their relatives for future recruitment into the security outfit.
Despite the setback, the Corps vowed to sustain its operations against criminal elements across the state.
Adeniken said Amotekun would work with other security agencies to apprehend those behind the attack, while urging residents, particularly those in farming communities, to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist investigators.
The attack comes weeks after Amotekun operatives rescued two Fulani herders abducted by suspected kidnappers in a forest along the Ondo-Edo boundary.
The two young cattle herders were reportedly kidnapped while grazing in the Owo forest axis, prompting their families to seek the intervention of the security outfit after they failed to return home.
Acting on intelligence provided by the victims’ parents, Amotekun operatives reportedly launched a search operation into the forest in collaboration with members of the affected families.
The operation led security personnel to a suspected kidnappers’ camp, forcing the criminals to flee and abandon the two victims.
Commander of the Ondo Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, said the victims were rescued alive and without injuries after the kidnappers fled upon realising that security operatives had located their hideout.
Amotekun, established by the South-West state governments as a regional security outfit to complement the operations of conventional security agencies, has been involved in efforts to combat kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across the region.
