Two among the abductors of a mother and her two children in the Isinigbo/Osi area of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State have been apprehended by the South-West security outfit, otherwise known as Amotekun Corps.
The kidnap suspects were reportedly arrested while negotiating with the family of their victims as the operatives of Amotekun were tracking the call.
Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the Amotekun Corps in Akure, the state capital, the Commander of the corps in the state, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that the two arrested kidnap suspects confessed to the crime and owned up that they had been serial kidnappers in the state.
He disclosed that the operatives were assisted by some Fulani men, who are into legitimate businesses in the state, to identify the Suspects.
“I received a distress call directly from the Isinigbo/Osi area, and within five minutes, my men were there. After a brief scuffle with the kidnappers, we were able to rescue the woman and her two children from the claws of the kidnappers,” he said on Monday.
Adeleye revealed that his men were able to recover a locally made gun from one of the suspects, who also confessed to several kidnapping activities.
“He said that after perfecting the act, he was able to successfully enter the woman’s house where he wanted to kidnap her. However, the husband and other people woke up and ran away. They mobilised the Amotekun operatives and the Fulani men, who cordoned off the area and were able to successfully apprehend him,” he added.
The commander noted that the second suspect also confessed to being a serial kidnapper operating in the Akure North axis.
Speaking further, he explained that eight others had violated the existing law and order in the state.
Adeleye disclosed that among them were two motorbike snatchers and a church burglar who was arrested with drum sets.
“We also have Joseph and Friday, aged 25 and 20 respectively, for stealing and reselling stolen motorcycles. One of them is an accomplice who kept the stolen motorcycle and assisted in selling it for ₦70,000, despite it being a new motorcycle.
“Also, on motorcycle theft, there is this Duyilemi, who poses as an Okada rider in the evening. He rides the motorcycle with daggers and knives, and while unsuspecting commuters are travelling with him, he stops them, throws them off the motorcycle and collects everything they have,” he said.
“He had carried out the act on several people before Amotekun laid siege for him. We were able to arrest him in the Sango area of Akure North.
“There is also Wahab, who was arrested for stealing drum sets in Danjuma, along the Ondo Road section of Akure. Aminu was also arrested for burgling a church in the Sijuade area. Aminu is 28 years old.
“The last of them, Kabiru, is a serial housebreaker. He has been arrested and punished several times, but has repeatedly been released on bail. He was arrested this time for stealing the gas cylinder that we have here,” he added.
Adeleye noted that the security situation in the state had improved drastically, reassuring residents that Amotekun Corps will continue providing adequate security for all law-abiding residents of the state.