The Ondo state Commander of the security outfit, codenamed, Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, has raised the alarm that his men are being attacked by suspected criminals resisting arrest.
Adeleye, said in Akure, that his men were being attacked by “unscrupulous suspects resisting arrests.
He noted that “despite the fact that the Amotekun corps were armed, they were attacked because the citizens knew they would not shoot at them.”
The commander, therefore, called on community leaders, traditional rulers, parents and guidance to caution their subjects, children and wards to stop attacking security agents who take risks to protect them.
The commander cited an example of how one of the officials of Amotekun corps was attacked with a farm tool by a suspect who was resisting arrest.
“Though the official attacked was armed, he didn’t shoot his attacker who was eventually arrested.
“The affected officer was saved at the Trauma Centre of University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital in Ondo City having list much blood.
“It is unfortunate that we have overcome the issue of banditry in our state, but we are being faced with attacks from our people who we are protecting.
“There was an incident where we went to restore peace where two groups were fighting. When they sighted us, the two groups faced us and started shooting, throwing stone at us.. We lost one of our men in the process.
“Throughout this incident, we didn’t engage them in gun duel. We succeeded in arresting some of them.
“It’s high time our community leaders, traditional rulers, parents and guidance educated their people that we are security agency protecting them through conventional and unconventional means.
“They should stop attacking our men. Though we have instructed and trained our men not to shoot when being provoked, anyone who attacks our men shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
“Let me educate these unscrupulous individuals that Amotekun Corps is a product of legislative act by Ondo State House of Assembly. Anyone found breaching the law and order of the land would be arrested and prosecuted by Amotekun Corps.
“Amotekun Corps was not established as a rival security agency but rather to complement the operations of other existing security agencies in the state to protect life and property of the citizenry,” Adeleye said.”
