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| Photo used to illustrate the story |
Operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State have dismantled a criminal syndicate specializing in kidnapping, fraud, and human trafficking.
The suspects allegedly deceived 72 Ghanaians and Nigerians with false promises of securing U.S., UK, Canadian, and Australian visas before abducting them.
Adetunji Adeleye, Commander of Amotekun, revealed that the syndicate was among 61 suspected criminals arrested in a recent operation. The gang targeted victims from Ghana, offering them "guaranteed" visas to Western countries.
“They lured unsuspecting individuals to Akure, collected between $1,500 and $2,000 from each victim, then held them captive in Oda town,” Adeleye explained. “The only way to secure their release was to bring in another victim. Our intelligence unit tracked them down, leading to the arrest of 28 suspects and the rescue of multiple victims.”
Jeremiah Amoah, a Ghanaian victim, shared his ordeal. He was contacted by the syndicate when seeking an Australian visa and was directed to travel to Akure.
“After arriving, an agent took me to a hotel, seized my $2,000, and moved me to a hideout,” Amoah recounted. “They demanded I recruit another victim before my release. I escaped at midnight by jumping a wall. Amotekun’s intervention saved over 70 victims.”
In a separate operation, Amotekun rescued a family of five from kidnappers in Owo LGA without ransom payment. The kidnappers had only managed to extort N210,000 before security forces stormed their hideout.
Additionally, cattle rustlers and violators of anti-open grazing laws were arrested, including Sylvester, a suspected kidnapper on Amotekun’s watchlist.
Commander Adeleye credited the arrests to Operation Daadaa, a joint security effort launched by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to combat rising crime. The operation involved raids in Alagada, Ago Ademekun, and Ago Oyinbo forests, extending to Ose, Owo, Akure North, and Akure South LGAs.