Operatives of Oyo State Security Network Agency comprising Amotekun Corps in collaboration with Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in the early hours of Thursday apprehended six suspected bandits at Kajola local government area of the state while on their joint routine patrol along two separate routes within the council.
A statement made available to journalists by the state Commandant of Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd.), said the bandits were arrested in separate incidents following encounters at two illegally mounted road blocks.
He added that they tried to escape from the scene but was given hot pursuit by the operatives as they tried to evade arrest, assuring that the security operatives are still on the trail of others who managed to escape from the scene.
Olayanju said the bandits are Awali Atine, Ibrahim Abu, Shuaib Balau, Ibrahim Musa, Abdullah Masika and Umar Aliu Masika (all of Bororo Fulani ethnic group) arrested along Okeho-Ilua and Okeho – Iseyin Road at about 4am.
According to him, the bandits whose modus operandi is to pretend as herdsmen in the day and violently rob innocent passengers on the highways at night were caught with 183 cows, weapons and a total sum of N268, 470.00.
The Amotekun boss disclosed that they had been handed over to the Nigeria Police Authority Okeho Divisional HQ alongside the 183 herds, weapons and money found in their possession for further investigation.
He then called on those with necessary information that could help law enforcement agencies in their investigation to cooperate and report to the nearest police authority for proper investigation.