The Osun Amotekun Corps has arrested a suspected kidnapper, Ayobola Awe, popularly known as “Bishop Awasere,” in the Isokun area of Ilesa.
The Corps’ Public Relations Officer, Mr Yusuf Abass, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday in Osogbo.
According to the statement, Awe had been on the wanted list of several security agencies for alleged involvement in kidnapping and murder. Amotekun operatives tracked him and his gang to a hideout in the Sokun area of Ilesa, where they carried out a raid at about 5:59 p.m.
During the operation, officers recovered hard drugs and a cache of assorted charms believed to have been used by the gang for spiritual protection. Some gang members escaped, but Amotekun has launched a manhunt to track them down.
The Corps described the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to tackle violent crime in Osun State and its environs.
The development comes days after the Ondo State Amotekun Corps paraded 28 suspected criminals arrested across the 18 local government areas of the state, in collaboration with security agencies and local vigilantes. The suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling, theft, vandalism, and other crimes.