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The Ondo State Security Network(Amotekun) has arrested a father and his three sons for their involvement in kidnapping a resident in Oba Akoko, in the state.
The kidnappers were paraded along with 24 other criminal suspects on Monday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The suspects include Usman, 33; Wahab, 27; Yakubu, 18; and their father, Iliasu, 56.
It was gathered that the family of kidnappers had been involved in the business for years and was using cattle rearing as a cover.
Amotekun Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, who spoke to journalists on the development, said the victim was kidnapped at Oba Akoko. He said even after the victim’s family had delivered the ransom, the suspects still refused to release him.
According to him, one of the suspects, Usman, had been on the wanted list of the agency since 2024, but the recent operation saw his arrest along with his brothers.
“In this same operation, the victim was kidnapped on his way to Oba Akoko and the family promptly arranged ransom without informing Amotekun,” Mr Adeleye said.
“Despite the payment of the ransom, the kidnappers refused to release the victim. They also threatened the family not to report the incident. After collecting the ransom, they still refused to release the victim, which eventually brought the family to the Amotekun office, and we immediately swung into action.
“At the end of the day, we found a family, a father and three sons directly involved, using cattles as cover. In the course of the operation, they attacked our men, but we succeeded in rescuing the victim.
“At the point of torture, they had attacked the victim with knives and cutlasses on the head. We promptly rushed the victim to a nearby hospital and were able to recover over 75 per cent of the ransom paid. Not only that, we equally recovered drugs, drinks, cigarettes and what looked like a camouflage used to cover the eyes of the victim.”
Other suspects arrested in relation to kidnapping in the state, according to Mr Adeleye, were Musa and Aruna who were involved in abducting their victims in Owo.
The corps also arrested Mohammed, Tekasu, Rabi, Abubakar, Kalij and Adamu and Saibu, in relation to “armed banditry,” said Mr Adeleye.
Speaking further on other suspected arrested, the corps commander said, “On illegal possession of firearms, robbery and cultism, we have Ayodele, 26; Oluwatobi, 24; and Michael, 34, all arrested. On rape and stealing, we have Olagi, also arrested.
”In the Akure South axis, we have Idowu and Taiwo arrested for conspiracy and stealing of generator. Also in Akure South, we have Olatunde, 39; Abdul, 27; and Amodu David, all arrested in connection with conspiracy and stealing of food items.
On breach of peace, we have Akpaba Felix, 30; Agbonuma Abigail, 25; Mark, 24; Kelvin, 24; Kuma, 27; and Tuk, 24, all arrested in Oke-Ijebu, Akure, for conspiracy and breach of peace.
”What we want to make clear is that there is no hiding place again, both in the forests and in the towns. The Amotekun Corps has been strategically positioned in all parts of the state to guarantee that commuters and residents can go about their activities unmolested.”
He urged residents to assist the corps with actionable and timely information so that crime could be prevented rather than responding.
The kidnapping for ransom has heightened in the South West region, climaxing in the recent abduction of school children in Oyo State.
Incidentally, Mr Adeleye is the Chairman of the South West Amotekun Corps.
Asked what efforts the regional body was making to ensure the rescue of the children, Mr Adeleye said
the corps had succeeded in mobilising youths in the relevant communities to team up with the corps to embark on search of all the forests.
The Nigerian senate last week passed the bill seeking to enable the establishment of state police with the hope of securing the states and improving security at grassroots.
Although the bill was criticised for its shortcomings, experts believe it would serve as a good starting point for moving the fight against insecurity to a new level.
Ondo Amotekun had repeatedly expressed its readiness to transit into state polic, but the clauses restraining the use of existing state security outfits in the passed bill, raised fresh concerns.