Blessing Bello, Reporting
AKURE — Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun, have successfully rescued a kidnap victim and apprehended a father along with his three sons in connection with the crime at Oba-Akoko, situated in the Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state.
The Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this development while parading a total of 28 suspects linked to kidnapping cases, alongside 15 others arrested for various criminal offences, in Akure on Tuesday.
Mr Adeleye provided details of the arrests, stating, “Today, we have Usman, 33; Wahab, 27; Yakubu, 18; and their father, Iliasu, 56, arrested in Oba Akoko, Ondo State. Furthermore, we recovered drugs, drinks, cigarettes and what appeared to be a camouflage used to blindfold the kidnapped victim.”
According to the Commander, the operation was initiated after the victim’s family reported the incident to the command. He explained that the victim was abducted while travelling to Oba Akoko. The family had initially attempted to secure his release by paying a ransom without informing Amotekun, a decision that proved counterproductive.
“In spite of the ransom payment, the kidnappers refused to release the victim. They also threatened the family not to report the incident,” Mr Adeleye stated. “This eventually brought the family to the Amotekun office, and we immediately swung into action.”
The investigation led to a shocking discovery, with the Commander revealing that “we found a family, a father and three sons directly involved, using cattle as cover.” He further noted that the suspects attacked Amotekun personnel during the operation, but the operatives prevailed and secured the victim’s freedom.
The victim, who had been tortured by the kidnappers with knives and cutlasses, sustaining injuries to the head, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
In a significant breakthrough, Mr Adeleye confirmed that Amotekun personnel were able to recover over 75 per cent of the ransom that had been paid. He reiterated the command’s stance against ransom payments. “As far as the command is concerned, we do not encourage the payment of ransom. Since the money belongs to the family, it has been returned to them,” he said.
He added, “In fact, we handed over all the money recovered at the scene to a member of the victim’s family for safekeeping, and we only brought it here for display.”
All suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue.
