Four suspects linked to various criminal offences, including kidnapping, attempted abduction and fraud, has been arrested by the Ondo State security outfit, codenamed Amotekun.
Parading the suspects in Akure, the state capital, the Commander Adetunji Adeleye, said that their arrest followed multiple operations carried out by the operatives within the last 48 hours under Operation Le Won Jade, supported by the Border patrol and the ongoing 24/7 ember-month security watch.
Adeleye said that the security outfit was alerted about a heavy gunfire in a forested area, prompting the deployment of a rapid response team which joined forces with local security personnel.
According to him, “On entering the forest where the incident occurred, our men came under heavy attack. “At the end of the operation, we successfully rescued four of the five kidnapped passengers, though the bus driver was shot dead when the attackers tried to stop the vehicle.”
Adeleye said that the rescue operation lasted over three hours as operatives combed the forest.
Among those rescued were three women and the bus conductor.
One of the women, who was shot by the attackers before Amotekun’s arrival, was stabilized at the corps’ health facility.
Two of the suspected kidnappers who allegedly fired at the officers and killed the bus driver were arrested during the operation.
Adeleye said Amotekun, in another incident, foiled an attempted abduction of a female correctional service officer.
According to him suspects had posed as visitors to inmates and pretended to be assisting the officer to town before attempting to kidnap her.