Amotekun nabs juvenile robbers, receives 30 motorcycles donation

The Ondo State Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, has arrested no fewer than 20-armed robbery suspects, including three juveniles, who adopted names of notorious armed robbers, Anini and Oyenusi.

The underage-armed robbers, who were identified as Timilehin Femi (13); Sunday Ojo (16) and Ayodele Odeyemi (16), were popularly known in the crime world as ‘Anini’, ‘Oyenusi’ and ‘Monday Osunbor’ respectively.

The State Commander of Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading them at their corps headquarters in Akure yesterday.

He said the young armed robbers were arrested two years ago and remanded in juvenile home where they were later released.

According to him, they had involved in more than 40 armed robbery operations and advanced in the dastardly act as they also robbed people on the Highway.

“It is amazing that we have a second time armed robber who named himself Oyenusi and the first timer here is a 16-year-old and confessed that has to climb stool to keep his weapon in the ceiling, saying he was being empowered by his mother to guarantee that nobody could arrest him.

“Now, he has graduated to full blown armed robber and he operates a seven group member. He is the youngest but he is the most vicious and powerful.”

Adeleye also disclosed: “We also arrested a group that specialises in stealing of generating sets and we also have those that kill with impunity for ritual purpose. We have rapists and a dare devil armed robber, who was arrested in Ore with some cartridges.”

He revealed that some criminals lurked around public places and traced vehicles in which children were on board to their homes where they would kidnap the children when parents were about opening the gate of their homes.

Adeleye, who is also Special Adviser on Security to the state governor, added that the formation had concluded investigation on the suspects paraded and their case would be forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice and arraigned.

He noted that the corps has embarked on 24 hours operations to check criminals during the Easter celebration, urging parents to be cautious of outings their children attend.

He also warned them not to leave their children in the car alone whenever they go shopping.

While the leader of the gang, Ojo, who claimed he was named Oyenusi by people in his neighbourhood, Ijare, Ifedore Local Government Area of the state due to his robbery prowess, said they were usually armed by one Odeyemi Ayodele (20), a farmer.

But Odeyemi, who also adopted the name of a notorious armed robber, Monday Osunbo, who terrorised the old Bendel State, admitted that he only released dane gun to the boys and not the double barrel rifle found on them.

He confessed that he was usually given N2, 000 per every outing by the boys whenever they returned from operations. Odeyemi’s mother, Kehinde Ayodele, was also arrested for aiding and abetting armed robbery.

Another suspect, Femi, also known as Anini, was arrested and paraded with his mother, Iyabo Femi. He said it was his mother who usually fortified him and his gang with charms so that they won’t be arrested.

The dreaded ‘Anini’ revealed that he started robbing since he was 12-years-old, adding that his mother, Iyabo Femi, used to fortify him with charm so in order not to be caught.

He said, “I used to keep my gun inside the ceiling and sometimes I used to give it to our herbalist to keep. After robbery operations, we used to handover the stolen goods to the herbalist who will in turn sell it. But we don’t hand over any cash to him. I have participated in about 46 operations.

Meanwhile, the state workers under the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) had earlier donated 30 motorcycles to Amotekun Corps in order to aid their operations in the state.

Presenting the motorcycles to the Amotekun Commander at the Governor’s Office, Akure, the JNC and NLC Chairmen, Oluwaniyi Fabunmi and Sunday Adeleye, said they chose to support the corps for smooth operation.

According to them, the security agency, Amotekun, was not created for any other reasons but to protect lives and properties of the entire citizens of Ondo State.

“Labour leaders felt that what we can do is to help and assist the corps in order to collaborate and support their efforts in fighting crimes in the state,” they said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters and Special Duties, Dare Aragbaiye, who spoke on behalf of the state governor, thanked the labour leaders for the gestures, saying “it was not common in anywhere particularly in this part of the world.

“Ondo State workers are the best you can find anywhere, they are doing it for the safety of the good people of the state. Security and welfare of Ondo State people are very important.

“Our workers in Ondo State are not just special, they are also contributing to a special course like Amotekun under the leadership of Akogun Adetunji Adeleye.

“I want to say that this is big challenge to other stakeholders in Ondo State. This is a clarion call to stakeholders. Let us join hands to support Amotekun; this is our hope of securing the state,” Aragbaiye said.