Amotekun Arrests 2 Minors For Kidnapping Themselves, Demand Ransom From Parents, Monarch

2023-07-17 14:18:00

Independent Newspapers Nigeria

AKURE - Two secondary school girls have been arrested by the Amotekun Corps in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, for feigning being kidnapped and demanded ransom from their parents for their release.

Explaining to journalists at the headquarters of the formation at Alagbaka, Akure on Monday, the Corps Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye disclosed that the girls, one 13 years old and the other 15 years old, were hiding somewhere and called their mother as kidnappers who abducted her daughters.

They demanded N100,000 from their mother. It was also revealed that the girls threatened the monarch of the town to pay the ransom within 24 hours or they would kill the abductees in their custody.

According to the Corps Commander, who is also the Special Adviser (Security) to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, through joint operation with operatives of Department of State Security (DSS), the telephone line being used by the girls was tracked to where they were holing up.

Speaking to Daily Independent, the younger sister disclosed that she and her sister spent the night in their grandma's place and left their around 6:00am.

While on their way home, her elder sister told her that she had a plan to get money from their mother.

She then revealed her plan to declared themselves kidnapped and ask for ransom of N50,000 from their mother.

It was her sister who taught her what to say when they put a call through to their mother.

She said they didn't know that it was the monarch that was speaking with them on the phone when they threatened to kill their captives if they failed to pay the ransom quickly.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 28 suspects were paraded by the formation.

Among them were hostage takers, who allegedly raped their victims for three consecutive days in their hiding in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

Akogun Adeleye disclosed that some suspects were arrested during intense joint raiding of the forests in Owo, Ifon and Akoko areas of the state to dislodge kidnappers hiding in the forests.

He disclosed that many ATM cards were found in possession of some of the suspects and they could not explain how they came about them.

According to him, the ATM cards were suspected to belong to their various victims who they kidnapped in the past.

He, however, called on the public to beware of people(kidnappers) who pretend to be blowing balloon either on motorbike or in a commercial vehicle, particularly taxi cab, saying they tactically blow some tranquilising substance that makes their victims fall asleep and lose their memories.

2023-07-17 News