Operatives of the Ekiti State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, have arrested five suspected armed bandits in Okemesi-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area.

The suspects were intercepted at a motor park in front of African Church along Itaawure Road after residents raised alarm over the arrival of a group of strange men believed to be of Hausa and Fulani origin. Concerned indigenes reportedly noticed their suspicious movement and promptly alerted the local Amotekun office in the town.

Responding to the tip-off, operatives of the Ekiti West Local Government Command of the corps swiftly mobilised to the area and apprehended the men without major resistance. The Ekiti State Amotekun Communication Officer, Adeleye Adewale, confirmed the arrest in an official statement.

The suspects were identified as Abdulahi Makana, 28; Shuaba Ibrahim, 25; Adamu Muhammed, 25; Shlibu Umar, 31; and Aruna Yahaya, 28. They were reportedly found in possession of weapons and other items that heightened security concerns among residents and operatives.

Recovered from the suspects were two locally made guns, one axe, one dagger, two dogs, five mobile phones and assorted charms. Security sources described the combination of arms, animals and charms as consistent with the profile of criminal gangs that operate across forest belts in parts of the country.

During preliminary interrogation, the men, said to be led by one Suleiman who is currently at large, claimed they were farmers who had travelled from Kaduna and Jigawa states in search of livelihood opportunities. However, Amotekun officials disclosed that the suspects could not provide convincing documentation or verifiable details to support their claims of being genuine farmers.

The corps maintained that the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to prevent banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in Ekiti communities, especially in border and rural areas that are considered vulnerable to infiltration by criminal elements.

The five suspects, along with the recovered exhibits, have been transferred to the Ekiti West Police Command for further investigation. Police authorities are expected to profile the men, trace their movements and determine whether they are linked to any known criminal networks operating within or outside the state.