Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, has arrested 11 suspected bandits in Kajola Local Government and Saki East Local Government Areas of the state.
The Commandant of Amotekun in the state, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd), who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, said the suspected bandits were arrested after they mounted road blocks in the area.
He said that personnel of Amotekun Corps were assisted in the operation by men of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).
According to him, the combined team were on a routine patrol in the early hours of Thursday when six of the bandits were caught in Kajola Local Government Area.
“Operatives of Oyo State Security Network Agency comprising Amotekun Corps collaborating with OPC and VGN apprehended six bandits at Kajola local government area of Oyo State while on their joint routine patrol in the early hours of April 29, 2021 along two separate routes within the council area.
“They were arrested in separate incidents following encounters at two illegally mounted road blocks. They tried to escape from scene but were given hot pursuit by the operatives as they tried to evade arrest. We are still on the trail of others who managed to escape from the scene.
“The bandits, namely Awali Atine, Ibrahim Abu, Shuaib Balau, Ibrahim Musa, Abdullah Masika and Umar Aliu Masika were of Bororo Fulani ethnic group. They were arrested along Okeho-Ilua and Okeho-Iseyin road at about 4am on Thursday, April 29 2021.
“In another development, five bandits were equally arrested in Saki East council area and handed over the Divisional Police Officer in the area on April 29, 2021,” the statement said.
The commandant said the bandits, who were arrested with dangerous weapons and a large sum of money, pretended to be herdsmen in the day but turned robbers at night, terrorising and kidnapping people in the area.
“The bandits, whose modus operandi is to pretend as herdsmen in the day and violently robbed innocent passengers on the highways at night, were caught with 183 cows, weapons and a total sum of N268,470.00.
“They have been handed over to the Nigerian Police in Okeho Divisional headquarters alongside the 183 cows, weapons and money found in their possession for further investigation,” Olayinka added.
