Two suspected kidnappers have been arrested by the personnel of the Ondo State Security outfit codenamed Amotekun after a failed abduction of three church travellers during the Easter festivity.
The suspects were arrested along Ifira-Akoko-Idoani road in Ose council area of the state.
Vanguard gathered that the three travellers rescued by Amotekun personnel include Adewale Adebisi, 52; Miss Ahan Mary, 21 and Miss Ladi Bude, 23.
They were reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint while travelling with other church members from Benue State to Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Reports had it that the unsuspecting driver of the bus decided to stop on the highway after they were flagged down by the abductors, who pretended to be motorists whose vehicle had a mechanical fault.
The victims, it was gathered, were marched into the forest thereafter while some motorists, who watched from a distance on the highway and suspected that the three persons might have been kidnapped, telephoned the security outfit.
The personnel of the corps reportedly stormed the forest where they rescued the three victims and arrested two suspects.
Contacted, the state commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and the rescue of the three travellers.
Adeleye said they were resued by his men after combing the forest where they were abducted.
According to him, “We thank God for the release of the victims though our men are still on ground combing the bush. Our personnel responded immediately after the distress call and were able to rescue the victims.
3 army impostors, police officer arrested in Delta
In a related development, troops of the 63 Brigade, Asaba, Delta State, have arrested three army impostors, a serving mobile police officer and one other person, along the Kwale-Ogwashi-Uku Road for allegedly harassing commuters with “the intention of kidnapping or robbing their victims.”
Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the brigade, Captain George Okupe, who disclosed this in a statement, said the “shabbily dressed” serving mobile police officer and the others were “inside a registered dual coloured (ash and blue) Peugeot 608 saloon car with number plate LND 436 EX LAGOS” when they were apprehended.
The statement listed the suspects to include “Sergeant Stanley Okolukw Agwuchi (F/NO: 505161) serving in Ogwashi Police Division; Mr Augustine Emmanuel, from Ejeme Aniogor in Aniocha South of Delta State, who claimed to be a photographer and Mr Nwaka Onyeachonen from Ejeme Aniogor parading himself as a sergeant, age 36 years.
Others, according to the statement, were “Mr Uzamaka Julius impersonating a major with a fake Army identity card, age 29 years from Obowu in Imo State and Mr James Benefit from Abia State, parading himself as a private soldier, age 28 years.”
During preliminary investigation, it was discovered that Mr Ogodo is a deserter private soldier while Mr Onovughegor is suspected to be an internet fraudster.
Police begin manhunt as kidnappers abduct Ekiti farmer
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State police command, yesterday, said it has begun a manhunt for the abductors of a farmer, Isaac Agbanigo, who was kidnapped in Ikere Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Agabnigo was said to have been abducted in the presence of his family members while returning home from his farm at Ajengbede, along Ikere-Ise road around 4 pm on Saturday.
The Police, in a statement, said they have launched an investigation into the matter to fast track quick rescue of the man from captivity.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the victim’s wife told the police that she, her husband and their children were about to enter their vehicle to return home after finishing their farm work when they were accosted by seven armed masked men.
Abutu said the police have commenced a serious manhunt and investigation to unravel the identities and apprehend those behind the abduction of Mr Agbanigo.
Save us from Police, land grabbers’ menace, Ogun community begs IGP, Gov Abiodun
Residents of Feru community in Ado-Odo/Ota area of Ogun State have cried out to the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State to save them from the activities of land grabbers and invasion of their land by armed policemen.
The residents also alleged that the menace of the two bodies had brought untold hardship on them as the road linking their community with neighbouring villages has been severely damaged by land grabbing activities.
The community, through their representatives during a press conference in Egbeda area of Lagos, alleged that the land is owned by Onigbeyin and Odunfa families but armed Policemen have occupied the place in the last 90 days.
Secretary to Onigbeyin and Odunfa Families, Mr Agboola Bashiru, said on January 20, 2021, the road linking Feru community with Lafenwa, Itele and some parts of Lagos, was maliciously vandalised by some criminals and suspected land grabbers with the help of policemen.
He said: “For the past 90 days, our community has been under siege from some hoodlums led by some land grabbers. These people emerged out of the blues, without any conscience, to lay claim to some 166 acres of land in Feru village, which in fact, belongs to the families of Onigbeyin and Odunfa.
“We later discovered that the purported 166 acres were dubiously sold by criminal elements through one Adeoye to a popular church for a paltry sum of N74,700,000. All documents evidencing the transaction are not only fake but fraudulently forged to execute their sinister motive,”
(Vanguard)
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