Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, has foiled an attempted robbery on three commercial banks in Irele local government area of the state.
Parading the leader of the seven-man gang on Thursday at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, alongside with others 36 suspects for allegedly involvement in various offences, Adetunji Adeleye, the Commander of the corps, said among the suspects arrested was the mastermind of an intended bank robbery, who were also planning to kidnap a business man in Irele local government area of Ondo state.
Adeleye said intelligence gathering of the corps led to the arrest of the mastermind while six other members of the gang are still at large.
He said; “the gang seven-man operatives came all the way from Sapele, Delta State for the purpose of kidnapping and robbery of a bank in Irele LGA.
“Six of them are at large, but we were able to apprehend the mastermind, Fatai Bami, who accommodated the robbers. We were equally able to get to the root of the target that they intended to kidnap to give the officers of Amotekun the feeling that it is mere robbery, whereas it was dual operation.
“The manhunt for the leader who escaped to Delta State is on. We are liaising with relevant government and security authorities to assist us in apprehending this runaway gang. The intel available to us showed that they intend to rob three banks and kidnap the MD of a supermarket. Investigations showed that they liaised with a staff of the supermarket who declined to join the group.
“Amongst them are those who specialises in vandalising of critical government assets. They actually went with a trailer to load pipes meant for World Bank financed water project and successfully offloaded it and our operatives followed them and apprehended them where they offloaded at a different location.
“This is in furtherance of the determination that our citizens live peacefully in Ondo State. We appeal to the public to continue to support us with timely and actionable information and we pledge to secure lives and properties in conjunction with other security agencies in Ondo State.”
