Amotekun and Soldier scour forests for LAUTECH student and hotelier murderers

By Adeleye Kunle

The Oyo State Joint Security Task Force, also known as ‘Operation Burst,’ as well as members of Amotekun, stormed forests in Sulere Local Government Area, Ogbomoso on Sunday in search of kidnappers and other criminals’ hideouts.

During the operation, they were said to have made some arrests, killed some suspects, and recovered arms and ammunition.

A hotel owned by a retired security agent was said to have been angrily destroyed by the security agent. Some criminals were said to use the hotel as a meeting place.

Some of the criminals were said to use a makeshift shop by tea vendors known as “Mai tea” as an armoury, and some guns and bullets hidden there were reportedly discovered by security agents.

Colonel Olayinka Adeyanju, Commandant of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, told journalists when contacted that “a clearance operation is underway in the area.”

On July 28, gunmen abducted a hotelier, Mr Olugbenga Owolabi, and a final-year LAUTECH student, Rachael Opadele, and killed them after collecting a N5 million ransom.

Mr Idowu Ajagbe, the okada rider who drove him to the kidnappers’ hideout, was also killed by the hoodlums.

Major General Oladayo Popoola, former Military Governor of Oyo State, Justice Afolabi Adeniran, and Dr Saka Balogun will lead other prominent Ogbomoso residents as well as the town’s youth in a protest against insecurity in the town on Monday.

Rev. Kayode Olaleye, President of the Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum, stated in a statement made available to journalists that the purpose of the awareness rally was to educate people about the security situation and to encourage them to be vigilant.

“In view of the deteriorating security situation in Ogbomoso zone, as evident in recent waves of kidnapping for ransom and killing of victims, the Ogbomoso Consultative Council led by Major General Oladayo Popoola OFR (retd), Justice Afolabi Adeniran (retd), and Dr Saka Balogun, in consultation with the elders of the community and in conjunction with the youths