No fewer than four personnel of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, were killed when suspected criminal elements ambushed them in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
The tragic incident occurred as the officers were coming out of their base in the Ago-Oyinbo farming area, around Ala-Daadaa, where they were reportedly carrying out their security duties.
The assailants reportedly launched a surprise attack on the officers, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire between both sides.
Despite the resistance put up by the security personnel, four Amotekun officers were fatally wounded in the attack, while another officer sustained injuries.
The incident sent shockwaves through the affected communities, particularly as the officers were deployed to protect residents and farmers in the area from criminal activities.
Following the attack, the Amotekun Corps immediately mobilised reinforcements to the area in an effort to track down the assailants and prevent them from escaping.
The Corps also intensified patrols and intelligence gathering within and around the affected communities, with a view to identifying the perpetrators and preventing a recurrence of the incident.
But the state Amotekun, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Adeniken, said the officers came under sudden attack by assailants, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire.
He, however, confirmed that two officers lost their lives in the attack, while another sustained fatal injuries, saying only three casualties were earlier recorded.
He said reinforcements were immediately deployed to the area to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
It added that security operations, patrols and intelligence gathering had been intensified within the affected communities to prevent further attacks and reassure residents of the safety of their lives and property.
The Amotekun spokesperson said the Ondo State Governor, the Corps Commander and the management of Amotekun commiserated with the families, colleagues and loved ones of the fallen officers, describing them as gallant personnel who paid the supreme price in the service of the state.
The Corps urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information that could assist in identifying and apprehending those responsible for the attack.
The PRO of the command said the incident would not deter the Corps from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it remained committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
The statement further said the Corps was working with other security agencies to track down the perpetrators and ensure that they were brought to justice.
Meanwhile, the families of the fallen officers appreciated the Ondo State Government, the Corps Commander and the management of Amotekun for making arrangements for the befitting burial of their deceased relatives.
While mourning their loved ones, the families appealed to the state government to remember the dependants of the fallen officers in future recruitment exercises into the Amotekun Corps.
They also called for welfare support and other benefits for the families to cushion the impact of losing their breadwinners.
The families said such measures would not only support the dependants but also demonstrate the government’s appreciation of the sacrifice made by officers who lost their lives in the service of the state.
The Amotekun command reiterated its commitment to tracking down the perpetrators and strengthening security operations in the affected area.
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