The Ondo State Command of the South-West Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, has dismantled a 28-member criminal syndicate specializing in kidnapping and human trafficking.
The breakthrough was announced by Adetunji Adeleye, the state commander of Amotekun, during a press briefing in Akure on Thursday.
According to Adeleye, the arrests mark a significant achievement for the security outfit within a two-week operation.
The syndicate, he revealed, employed deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting victims—primarily from Ghana—with false promises of securing United States visas and lucrative job opportunities abroad.
“These individuals were led to believe they would be assisted in traveling overseas. However, upon arriving in Akure under the guise of documentation processing, they were taken hostage at a camp in Oda town, Akure South Local Government Area,” Adeleye stated.
The commander further detailed how the syndicate extorted victims, demanding payments between $1,500 and $5,000. Once in captivity, victims were forced to recruit others before gaining their freedom.
“We intercepted and rescued them due to our intelligence efforts. The syndicate was running an international scam, deceiving people into coming to Nigeria, where they were held against their will. Some families from Ghana have come forward to narrate their ordeal,” he added.
Adeleye confirmed that the leader of the operation, a Ghanaian national, remains at large, but assured that justice will be served.
In addition to dismantling the trafficking ring, Amotekun operatives arrested several other suspects involved in various criminal activities, including cattle rustling, violations of the anti-open grazing law, and cult-related offenses.
Among those apprehended was a notorious kidnapper identified as Sylvester, who had been on the security agency’s watchlist.
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Others, including Ola Akiniyi and Anthony, were detained for similar crimes.
A suspect, Blessing Imafidon, was arrested in Araromi for attempted murder.
Furthermore, security agencies, in collaboration with ‘Operation Dada,’ nabbed a group dismantling federal infrastructure, such as aluminum conductors and electric wires, in the Arimogija area bordering Ondo and Edo states.
The arrests come as part of Amotekun’s intensified operations aimed at curbing crime in Ondo State.
Adeleye reiterated the corps’ commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and warned criminal elements that the state would remain unsafe for their activities.
“We will not relent in our efforts to rid Ondo State of crime. These operations are just the beginning,” he concluded.
Investigations into the syndicate and other criminal activities are ongoing, with authorities working to track down all accomplices involved in the network.