At least 150 people suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group were on Thursday arrested by the Police in Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo state.
The suspects were reportedly armed with various offensive weapons and loaded themselves in a truck before they were intercepted and arrested by the Police.
It was gathered that the suspects were heading for an undisclosed location when the Police at the Funbi-Fagun Police division intercepted the truck conveying them.
The suspectsm who were said to hail from the northern part of the country, were conveyed in a truck with registration number KANO NSR 97 XZ, and were said to be coming from Kebbi state and heading towards Ore town in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state before they were apprehended by the police at Lipakala junction in Ondo town.
The operation, which was led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Funbi-Fagun Police division, Mr Olu-Ojo Ogunmoyole, also involved men of the Special Ant-robbery Squad (SARS) of the state police command and officers of the Department of State Security (DSS).
The suspects were initially held at the Funbi-Fagun police division before they were later transferred to the State headquarters of the Police command in Akure.
Items said to be recovered from the suspects include 18 locally made guns, two jack knives, 22 cutlasses and many torch lights.
As news of the arrest of suspected Boko Haram members filtered into the town, many trooped to the police station at Funbi-Fagun to catch a glimpse of them before they were transferred to the police headquarters.
The news has also created apprehension among residents of the town.
One of the suspects, who identified himself as Abdulahi Sheriff, said they are not members of Boko Haram, saying they are all farmers coming from Benin-Kebbi to seek greener pastures in the southern part of the country.
He explained that their movement from the North was due to the prolonged dry season which he said has affected their activities.
He, however, could not give any reasonable explanation for the purpose of the dangerous weapons found on their possession at the time their truck was intercepted.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Funbi-Fagun police station, Mr. Ogunmoyole, said the suspects were intercepted during a surveillance operation carried out by the anti-robbery squad attached to the division.
He explained that the suspects were transferred to the command headquarters for further investigation.
