2025-12-31 09:07:00
Reporting by PUNCH indicates the Ondo State Amotekun Corps arrested 39 suspects it says fled Sokoto State and moved into forest reserves in Ondo following recent airstrikes targeting extremist hideouts in the North‑West.
The corps said the arrests were made near the Elegbeka axis in Ose LGA during an operation that also netted other suspects linked to kidnapping and armed robbery, as the state tightens security around forest corridors.
Officials said profiling is ongoing, including possible prosecution or handover to relevant authorities depending on the outcome of investigations.
Channels Television reported that the suspects “confessed that they are fleeing from the northern part of the country due to the recent attacks launched against them,” while TheCable wrote Amotekun “has arrested 39 suspected terrorists who allegedly fled Sokoto and relocated to forest reserves in the state.”
Echotitbits take: This is the ‘balloon effect’ of counter‑terror pressure—fighters scatter into softer targets and forest belts. Expect more inter‑state coordination in the South‑West and tighter controls on forest reserves; watch how prosecution is handled to avoid recycling suspects.
Source: The Punch — December 31, 2025 (https://punchng.com/us-strike-39-fleeing-sokoto-suspects-arrested-in-ondo/)
The Punch December 31, 2025
Photo Credit: The Punch
