The Ondo State Security Network otherwise known as Amotekun Corps, has foiled five kidnap attempts in the last two weeks.
Corps Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, who said while briefing newsmen on the security situation in the state,disclosed that a traditional chief, Oluwasunkanmi Adeleye, and a commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as Okada rider, were kidnapped but later rescued by a joint team operatives of Amotekun Corps and local hunters without paying any ransom.
The corps parades seventeen suspects, who were arrested for allegedly commiting different crimes.
The Corps Commander explained that the latest rescue mission was about a community chief and Okada rider in a community close to Akure.
According to him, the twili were kidnapped, but the Amotekun Corps, in collaboration with local hunters, pursued the kidnappers overnight and rescued the chief and the okada rider without paying any ransom.
He added: “The latest of this rescue mission took place in the last 24 hours, where a chief in a community close to Akure was kidnapped, and our distress line was contacted.
“With the joint efforts of the local hunters, and officers and men of Amotekun, we walked overnight, pursued the kidnappers, and were able to retrieve the two of them, the chief and the Okada rider that was kidnapped without payment of any ransom.
“Again, the perpetrators of evil in Akoko axis, the Northern Senatorial axis of the state, some of them were arrested, they attempted, and actually kidnapped victims along Ajegunle Road, and at about 2 am, between 1am and 2 am., they came with their herds, ravaged their farms, raped their women, and ran away.
“Our tactical team moved in, under the leadership of the Area Commander of our Zone 6, and within 48-hours, the people were released, and three suspects identified as part of the gang were arrested.
“We have them here, both the victim and the suspects. The same thing goes to the central senatorial district, where some kidnapped suspects were arrested again by officers and men of the Amotekun Corps, and they had equally been identified”.
Adeleye said the Amotekun Corps also arrested suspects involved in robbery and rape cases, with eight suspects facing charges for breaking the law and order, three for kidnapping, while another six for robbery and rape.
He restated the government’s stance against kidnapping for ransom in Ondo State, urging farmers to return to their farms and assuring them of the corps’ commitment to maintaining peace and security.
He added: “What the government of Ondo State is saying is that we are saying no to kidnap for ransom in Ondo State. Headers are free to do their business, farmers are free to cultivate. Farmers will not infringe on the rights of the headers, while headers have no right to destroy people’s farm.”
“So on farmers and headers clashes, even though it has reduced, we are saying the government does not want it to happen to prevent scarcity of food in the next season. We want farmers to go back to their farms.
“As we talk, the Amotekun Rangers are in the forest, and we want to thank the farmers and members of the public, the Hunters Association, and the Vigilante Groups for giving us timely information to work with.”
