The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed ‘Amotekun’ has re-arrested an inmate of the state Correctional Home ‘prison’ in Akure who specialised in looting shops and neighbourhood around Mechanic village area.
The suspected Robber who identified himself as “Oyenusi” was remanded at the Correctional Home two years ago for armed robbery at Ijare In Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.
It was however gathered that he escaped from the Correctional Home to be terrorising residents and traders around Ondo road/Mechanics village area.
Parading Oyenusi alongside 30 other suspects at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, the State Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye said nine of them were kidnappers who are terrorising travellers in Akoko area while others were apprehended for specialising in stealing motorcycles and domestic animals.
Similarly, a 16-year-old boy, who was arrested for illegal possession of firearms when he was 13 and sent to a juvenile home and was also arrested for burglary and stealing.
The suspect said he has broken into more than 40 shops since he left the juvenile home. He claimed to be overwhelmed by an evil spirit that motivates him to steal.
During the raid, a six-man syndicate that deals in stealing and buying stolen goats was arrested with two taxi cabs loaded with goats.
The suspects, among who was a woman, claimed that they didn’t steal the goats despite their inability to explain how they came about the goats.
According to Chief Adeleye, the kidnappers were arrested at the point of collecting the ransom, when three among the armed kidnappers who came to collect the ransom were nabbed by Amotekun men.
The Governor’s Special Adviser on security matters, said the security network was working with some cattle and food sellers from the north to curb activities of criminal elements in the state especially on the roads and forests.
The suspects led by Musa Abdullahi were arrested in Akunnu-Akoko in the Akoko Northwest local government area of the state after they kidnapped Mr Bello Audu from his house in the community and took him to the forest.
Narrating his experience in the den of his abductors, Bello, a farmer, said he was observing the 7:00 pm Muslim prayer at his residence in Akunnu-Akoko when about six armed men suddenly came and flogged him with a stick and ordered him to follow them to the forest.
He said he was fed with a small quantity of Garri flakes without water for five days before he was rescued by Amotekun Corps.
Bello, who is from Kwara State, said: “I was in my house observing the 7:00 pm prayer as a Muslim when suddenly some men numbering about six walked up to me on the mat and flogged me with a stick.
“Some of them were carrying guns and they asked me to follow them. They later contacted my family asking for ransom so that they could release me from their hideout.
“While in their hideout for five days, they offered me small Garri to eat. They didn’t give me water throughout. Though I didn’t see them eat. I was later rescued from them by men of the Amotekun Corps when they wanted to collect the ransom brought for them for my release. They were all arrested there by Amotekun Corps.”
Aside from the suspected kidnappers, Adeleye said some suspected criminals were arrested for stealing cable and wires at Ode-Irele in Irele Local Government Area and other different locations during the raid across the 18 local government areas of the state in the last week by Amotekun Corps.
Abdullahi, the leader of the kidnappers said his father was killed by armed robbers, which resulted in kidnapping because it was his destiny to engage in criminal activities.
Some other suspects were arrested for snatching and stealing motorbikes from unsuspecting owners in different towns in the state.
The Amotekun Corps Commander disclosed that in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, they are embarking on flushing criminals out of the forests in the state.
The Amotekun Commander disclosed that the suspects would soon be charged to court for persecution.
