Operatives of the State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, have rescued five abducted victims in different parts of Ondo State without paying the demanded ransom.
The victims were freed after their families, unable to meet the kidnappers’ demand of N150 million, sought the intervention of the Amotekun Corps.
According to the Commander of Amotekun in the state, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, four of the victims were kidnapped along the Ore-Ijebu Ode/Lagos motorway in Odigbo Local Council, while another was rescued from Ifon Forest five days after being abducted at his Upemen residence on the Owo-Ikare road.
Adeleye revealed that the armed kidnappers had demanded ransom from the victims’ families before Amotekun operatives foiled their operations.
While urging residents to provide timely security information, Adeleye disclosed that Amotekun rangers had been deployed across major forests and locations in the state to combat criminal activities.
He added that over 12 cases of armed robbery and kidnapping had recently been foiled, particularly at the Ondo-Ogun boundary.
One of the rescued victims, Ayo Adeyeye, recounted his traumatic ordeal, revealing that the kidnappers threatened to kill him and the other hostages if their ransom demands were not met.
“I was returning home when they stopped us, but my brother ran away before I could stop the motorcycle. They dragged me with them, and we trekked all through the night till the following morning,” Adeyeye narrated.
He explained that his brother, who escaped, alerted their family members, who initially combed the forest without success before involving Amotekun.
“The kidnappers diverted their movement immediately after my brother left. We took the opposite road to avoid being traced, but the Amotekun men and my people were combing the forest where they abducted me,” he added.
