Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, have arrested a father and his three sons for their alleged involvement in a kidnapping syndicate operating in parts of the state.
The suspects, identified as 56-year-old Iliasu and his sons—Usman (33), Wahab (27), and Yakubu (18)—were apprehended during a coordinated operation in Oba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area. The operation also led to the successful rescue of a kidnapped victim who had been held captive despite the payment of ransom by his family.
Speaking while parading 28 suspects arrested for various crimes in Akure, the Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the victim was abducted while travelling to Oba-Akoko. According to him, the kidnappers demanded and received about ₦1.6 million from the victim's family but still refused to release him.
Adeleye explained that the abductors allegedly warned the family against contacting security agencies. However, after waiting without seeing their relative freed, the family alerted Amotekun, prompting the security outfit to launch an intelligence-driven rescue operation.
The commander alleged that the suspects disguised themselves as cattle rearers while secretly running a kidnapping network across the area. During the operation, they reportedly attacked Amotekun operatives in an attempt to evade arrest, but were eventually subdued.
The rescued victim was said to have sustained several machete and knife injuries while in captivity and was immediately taken to a medical facility for treatment after his rescue.
Amotekun operatives also recovered more than 75 percent of the ransom allegedly paid by the victim's family. Other items recovered from the suspects included alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, drugs, and materials believed to have been used during their criminal activities.
Adeleye disclosed that one of the suspects had been on the security outfit's watchlist since 2024 over alleged links to previous kidnapping incidents across the Ondo North Senatorial District. He reportedly fled the state during earlier security operations before returning, leading to his eventual arrest.
The Amotekun commander reaffirmed the agency's commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes across Ondo State. He assured residents that intelligence gathering and joint security operations would continue to ensure criminals are apprehended and prosecuted while urging the public to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.
Source: vanguardngr