The Ondo State Security Agency codenamed Amotekun, has arrested three kidnappers who were responsible for the abduction of some burial guests around Benin-Ifon in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State last weekend.
The commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, during their parade, said the suspects were arrested in their camp located between Edo and Ondo States.
Recall that The Trumpet had earlier reported that some burial guests returning to Akure from Ewatto in Edo State were kidnapped around Benin-Ifon road last Saturday, with a demand of N90m as a ransom for their release.
According to Adeleye, the trio identified as Shaibu Dolo, Saidu Yinusa and Haruna Musa, confessed that they were only in charge of food and charging phones in the camp but were not involved in the abduction of the burial guest.
“We arrested some members of the kidnapping gang that were arrested along the Ose/Owo axis where we had a recent kidnap. We tracked the phones that were being used by the kidnappers and we met them around the tracking area but they told us that their leader had run away.
“We are still working towards the arrest of others and I can assure you that the criminals will be arrested in no time.”
Similarly, Adeleye disclosed that members of a syndicate, who specialised in robbing the people of their expensive phones and had operated in seven different states, were also arrested.
Adeleye said the syndicate had stolen N84m phones across the seven states before they were arrested in a hotel they lodged in Akure.
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He said the suspects confessed to having operated in seven states until they got to Ondo state, adding that their pattern of operating is that they came into the state with a car and two motorcycles and contacted two or three locals who understand the terrain to take them round the town for the survey.
He, however, stated that the corps had entered into synergy with other security agencies in neighbouring states, most especially Kogi and Edo states, to jointly thwart criminals, especially kidnappers, who operate on the border lines.
The Amotekun Commander said the synergy became crucial after they found out that kidnappers usually sneaked into the state from the neighbouring states and returned to their resident states where they negotiate with the families of the abductees for ransom after their operations at the border lines.
Adeleye said the corps is working towards sealing the boundaries because of the increase in kidnapping cases along the Edo and Kogi states which is becoming a worrisome situation.
“A full complement of men of the 32 Artillery, with the Police, DSS and Amotekun have been working on a series of operations and lately we had a collaboration with the Edo State team and waiting for the Kogi to join us.
“What happens most of the time is that when we drive them off from Ondo State, they move to Edo and once we move they return to Ondo boundaries because they know they cannot successfully operate inside the main town, so they stay around the boundary such that they could return to Ondo State within minutes.
“Some of those arrested at the scene of the last kidnap were as a result of our commitment and tracking that took us to those locations where the three suspects were apprehended. So we are working on it to bring their leader and other members of the gang to book.”
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