A syndicate that specialises in snatching motorbikes has been busted by the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State.
The syndicate operates within Ondo, Osun and Ogun states where they snatch motorcycles from owners at gunpoint and take them to an hideout where the bikes are dismantled before selling them.
Addressing newsmen at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, the Ondo State capital, while parading seven crime suspects, the Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye disclosed that the syndicate usually carry out their nefarious activities within the three states while the buyer always collected the dismantled bikes at Iwaraja junction along Akure/Ilesha Road in Osun State.
A member of the syndicate, Olamide Wasiu, 35, from Oshogbo, Osun State, who was arrested by Amotekun officials, confessed to the crime.
He revealed that they snatched motorbikes from different points and took them to their hideout where they dismantled them.
According to Olamide, the buyer usually came with a truck from Ibadan, Oyo State to meet them at Iwaraja junction, near Ilesha, where he took delivery of the consignment and paid.
He disclosed that after he was arrested by the Amotekun Corps, he called the buyer that another consignment was ready for sale, but said he is in Abuja where he is currently growing rice.
However, the Corps Commander said the command is on the trail of other members of the syndicate which has snatched over 100 motorbikes across the three states.
Meanwhile, another four-man armed robbery and kidnap syndicate was also busted by the formation.
The men operated between Owo and Odigbo in Ondo State where they used a herd of cows to stop vehicles on the highway and in the process kidnapped unsuspecting motorists.
According to the Corps Commander, the suspects, Sunday Aboto, from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Yusuf George from Owo and Odaka Joseph were arrested for kidnapping motorists.
Akogun Adetunji Adeleye commended journalists for their support for Amotekun and all security agencies in the state, which he confirmed has tremendously reduced the rate of crime in the state.
He said “these are suspects arrested in the last few weeks in the state for different crimes.
“The level of success as regards security generally in Ondo state can be attributed to the synergy with all security agencies and the journalists for their timely dissemination of information, which alerts the public of the antics of the criminals, and this has helped the public from falling victim.”
Akogun Adetunji added that his command has “also arrested a syndicate of kidnappers, where we have the ringleader who confessed to the crime. We also have a 49yr old man, Olusegun Adegoroye, who is in possession of military wears, cap and boot along with arms they use to carry out their operation.
“Also, we have a rape suspect who we found out has three guns when we searched his house, and we are able to established that he use to hire these guns to criminals among others offences and we are rounding up our investigations and sending them to court to commence their trial.”
