—Parades 10 suspected criminals
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, has arrested two suspected kidnappers and eight other suspects for various offences across the state.
Parading the suspects in Akure, the state Commander, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said one of the suspected kidnappers, Gambo, 27, was arrested in Shasha while allegedly negotiating ransom with the families of his victims.
Adeleye said Gambo was unaware that Amotekun operatives were monitoring the area and was subsequently apprehended behind Shasha in Akure.
The second suspect, identified as Murtala, 19, was arrested with a locally made firearm and other weapons while allegedly attempting to kidnap the wife of his former employer in Molege, Owo.
According to Adeleye, Murtala had gained entry into the woman’s residence but was foiled after the husband and neighbours raised the alarm.
“They mobilised Amotekun and Fulani community members who cordoned off the area and successfully apprehended him,” he said.
The commander said the suspect allegedly confessed to involvement in several kidnapping operations and admitted that the Owo incident was his latest target.
Adeleye commended members of the Fulani community for assisting Amotekun in identifying suspected criminal elements among them.
“The amazing part of this struggle is that the Fulani men who joined us were the ones who assisted in identifying the kidnappers among them, so that we would not generalise,” he said.
He added that the second kidnap suspect also allegedly confessed to being a serial kidnapper operating around the Akure North axis.
The commander said the eight other suspects were arrested for alleged burglary, motorcycle theft and other offences.
He identified one of the suspects, Mustafa Aniliasu, as an alleged specialist in stealing motorcycles and burgling churches and mosques. His latest alleged operation, Adeleye said, was the burglary of a church in Elegbeka.
Also paraded were Joseph, 25, and Friday, 20, who were arrested for allegedly stealing and reselling motorcycles.
Adeleye said one of them kept a stolen motorcycle and later sold it for N70,000.
Another suspect, Duyilemi, was arrested for allegedly posing as an Okada rider in the evening and robbing passengers at knifepoint before stealing their motorcycles.
He was arrested in the Sango area of Akure North following a sting operation, the commander said.
Wahab was arrested for allegedly stealing drum sets in Danjuma, along the Ondo Road, while Aminu, 28, was arrested for allegedly burgling a church in the Sijuade area.
The last suspect, Kabiru, described by Adeleye as a suspected serial housebreaker, was arrested for allegedly stealing a gas cylinder.
The commander said Kabiru had been arrested and released on bail several times.
Adeleye said all the suspects would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
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