The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, has arrested a 56-year-old man, Iliasu, and three of his sons over their alleged involvement in kidnapping activities in the northern part of the state.
The three other suspects, Usman, 33; Wahab, 27; and Yakubu, 18, were arrested during a four-day operation that also led to the rescue of a kidnap victim, who had reportedly been held captive after his family paid a ransom demanded by the abductors.
The State Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this on Monday while parading 28 suspects arrested for various criminal offences at the Corps’ headquarters in Akure.
Adeleye disclosed that the father and his sons allegedly operated the kidnapping ring from Oba Akoko, using cattle rearing as a cover for their activities.
The Amotekun boss explained that the operation followed intelligence received after the victim’s family approached the Corps for help.
He said the victim had been abducted while travelling to Oba Akoko, adding that the family initially negotiated with the kidnappers and paid the demanded ransom without informing security agencies.
“Despite collecting the ransom, the kidnappers refused to release the victim. Rather, they threatened the family not to report the incident to security agencies.
“It was after they realised that the kidnappers had no intention of releasing the victim that the family came to Amotekun, and we immediately swung into action,” he said.
The Amotekun commander disclosed that operatives combed forests and remote settlements over four days before locating the kidnappers’ hideout.
He said the suspects resisted arrest and attacked Amotekun operatives during the raid but were eventually subdued, leading to the successful rescue of the victim.
According to Adeleye, the victim had been subjected to severe torture by his captors and said, “At the point of rescue, they had attacked the victim with knives and cutlasses, inflicting serious injuries on his head, but he was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he received medical attention.”
He added that the Corps recovered more than 75 per cent of the ransom paid by the victim’s family, as well as drugs, alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and materials suspected to have been used to blindfold victims.
Adeleye revealed that another son of the family, believed to be the principal coordinator of the kidnapping syndicate, had escaped arrest after fleeing the state about two years ago.
According to him, intelligence gathered by the Corps indicated that the suspect recently returned to coordinate the latest kidnapping operation before disappearing again.
“The father who was arrested is here. The children involved are also here. The eldest son managed to escape after coordinating this operation. We have been trailing him for some time, and we are still on his trail,” Adeleye said.
Speaking on the recovered ransom, the Amotekun commander declined to disclose the amount paid by the victim’s family, insisting that ransom payment was not encouraged by the Corps.
He said all the money recovered from the kidnappers’ hideout had already been handed back to the victim’s family.
He said “We are not interested in how much was paid because Amotekun does not negotiate or encourage ransom payment. The money belongs to the victim’s family and has been returned to them,”
Adeleye noted that the father-and-sons syndicate was among several criminal gangs apprehended in recent operations across the state.
Others paraded included suspects arrested for kidnapping, armed banditry, illegal possession of firearms, robbery, cultism, rape, stealing, conspiracy and breach of peace.
He assured residents that there was no longer any safe haven for criminals in any part of Ondo State, saying the Corps had strengthened its operations across forests and communities in collaboration with the Police, the Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.
He urged members of the public to continue supplying timely and credible intelligence to security agencies to facilitate prompt intervention and prevent crimes.
“Ondo State remains peaceful and safe. We will continue to work with other security agencies and local communities to ensure that residents go about their lawful activities without fear,” Adeleye added.
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