The personnel of Amotekun Corps, Oyo State Command, on Tuesday, successfully rescued a victim, Salaudeen Awwal, without a payment of ransom, less than 12 hours after he was kidnapped by gunmen at Kuoro Village in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
The Operation Officer of Oyo Amotekun, Mogaji Kazeem Babalola Akinro, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune in the evening before handing over the victim to his father, Alhaji Mikail Salaudeen, disclosed that Amotekun Corps learnt of the kidnapping when it received a distress call at about 2 am.
Akinro said that the Amotekun Corps promptly sent some personnel to the scene of the incident, where it was confirmed.
He stated that the Amotekun personnel immediately started combing the bush in search of the victim till almost 12 noon when the victim was rescued in the bush.
“When the kidnappers sighted us, they started shooting, and we responded, which scared them off,” he said.
The Operation Officer disclosed that the victim was rescued behind a village called Agede in the same local government area at about 11:30 am.
The Operation Officer said that before Amotekun embarked on the rescue mission, its personnel were deployed to surround the nearby areas to prevent the kidnappers from escaping with the victim.
Awwal, who narrated his experience, told the Nigerian Tribune: “My abduction took place at about 1a.m where I live with my wife and child.
“Usually, I don’t lock my windows. I heard footsteps and thought cows were passing by.
“The next I heard was a ‘thud’ sound, as someone jumped over the fence into our compound.
“They opened the gate and started shooting. They kicked hard at our door and it opened instantly since we didn’t lock it properly.
“They came into my room, took my wife’s phone and my wristwatch, as well as some clothes. They were six in number. They had two guns and four swords. They also had sticks which they used to break the glass windows round the house.
“They brought us out and asked us to kneel down. They went to the second flat and tried to get my father, but he didn’t give them the opportunity to gain entry.
“When they couldn’t succeed in getting him, they took me inside the bush. We walked for over three hours before they told me to stop.
“They asked of my relationship with the owner of the house they took me from, and I told them that I was a tenant.
“They slapped me hard and said that I was his son. They threatened to kill me for lying. They pressed the gun nozzle on my head, asking me to speak the truth, but I insisted on being a tenant.
“They started talking among themselves on how to get my father, Alhaji Salaudeen, who was their target. One of them could speak Yoruba while others could speak pidgin. They asked me how to get him, but I said I didn’t know.
“They asked about my parents, and I told them that they live from hand to mouth. They demanded N20 million as ransom, but I said I was even the one struggling to feed my parents.
“At about 5 am, they blindfolded me, left where we had been and took me to another place.
“When we got there, they removed the blindfold and I saw that we were at a rocky place. While under the rock, I was trying to chat with them but they were not responding.
“Later, they threatened that if I didn’t respond to their ransom demand by 7 pm, I would not like what I would experience.
“I was taken into the bush in my boxers, but they gave me a cloth to wear at dawn after tearing it to make it ragged. They asked if they should slit my stomach, and I begged them not to.
“They had wanted to wait till 7 p.m. when Amotekun Corps came about 12 noon to rescue me in the bush. The kidnappers ran away when they heard shooting by the Amotekun.
“The personnel asked me to stand on the rock and I did, identifying myself as the kidnap victim. They quickly picked me up and pursued the kidnappers but didn’t get them. It was after 12 noon.
The father of the rescued victim, Alhaji Mikail Salaudeen, said that the kidnappers, who were of Fulani tribe,
had attempted to abduct him 12 days ago.
“The Fulani kidnappers came to my house and attempted to break in but they couldn’t break the door. I called the community people, and they came to my rescue. I thought they were just thieves.
“However, in the early hours of today (Tuesday), at about 1 am, I heard a sound by my door. I didn’t know that they had already gained entry into the compound.
“Immediately, I put on my boxers and shouted, ‘who is that?’. They ordered me to open the door, but I responded that I would not open it, telling them that I had already called Amotekun, the police, and people around. But they did not stop.
“They broke the sliding windows, but the burglar-proof did not allow them in.
“When they did not succeed, they left. By then, I had called Amotekun. When the personnel came, the kidnappers had left.
“Immediately, the Amotekun Corps entered the bush and started searching for the abductors and my son that they held hostage.
“I called the police, and they came. We went to Moniya Division. I also reported at the DSS office in Akinyele Local Government Area.
“The DPO Moniya gave me a police officer to follow me to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Dugbe, to report. I made a statement and was told by the officers that I should let them know if the kidnappers call me for ransom, but I should not give them anything.
“On the way back to my house, an Amotekun officer called and told me that my son had been rescued.”
He said he was targeted because they asked for him from his kidnapped son.
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