By: Ade Adeleke
The Ondo State security network agency, codenamed Amotekun corps, has arrested four suspected kidnappers and eighteen other suspected armed robbers and cultists.
Parading the suspects at the agency headquarters in Akure, the corps Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye said that the suspected kidnappers were arrested for terrorising travellers on Ose/Owo areas of the state.
On the recent kidnap of 32 people coming from a burial ceremony in Edo state, Akogun Adeleye noted that since the cases of kidnappings were happening at border towns to Kogi and Edo states, the security agencies in Ondo State were strategising with their two neighbouring states to flush out criminals from forests around Ose/Owo/Akoko routes.
He said the corps and other security agencies were working round the clock to rescue the latest victims of the kidnapping that occured at the weekend.
The Amotekun Chief also paraded Abuja-based five robbery syndicates who had stolen phones worth over eighty-four million naira at different locations in seven states including Ekiti before they were apprehended by Amotekun men at hotel in Akure.
According to the Amotekun corps Commander, the syndicate came to town with a car and two bikes to make their operations in Ondo state easier.
Some of the suspects especially one of the kidnappers confessed to have committed the crimes as a result of economic hardship in the country.
One of the suspects, Muhammad Ali confessed that, security agencies have tried all their efforts in those states to put their activities into check, but all to no avail.
“Am Muhammad Ali, from Abuja, we have operated successful in seven states without any hinderance until we were caught in Ondo state by Amotekun”
The syndicates said they moved to shops and stores pretended like a serious customers and robb them of their phones.
One of the victims who was robbed of her phone, said, one of the suspects, came to her shop to buy paracetamol at Owo garage in Akure, after which she gave him and again requested for a blood tonic on the shelf, as she turned to give him the product, her phone had been stolen.
Over 20 sophisticated phones of different brands were recovered from the suspects.
