Osun Amotekun nabs suspected kidnapper, murderer

The Osun State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps) have arrested a suspected kidnapper and murderer, Banji Olaniyi Julius.

The 31-year-old, according to the security outfit, is responsible for the sudden disappearance of Damilare Akinranti, a native of Moro, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.

According to a press statement made available by the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinmbi, rtd. on Saturday, Akinranti disappeared on November 6, 2022 after the suspect lured him.

According to the statement, “Eleven (11) months ago, Sunday, November 6, 2022, at about 0900hrs, Banji Olaniyi Julius convinced Damilare Akinranti, age 24, to follow him to a farm in Iguede, Area 5, a distant farm in that same local government area; only for Damilare to get missing till date.

“The suspect who lured his victim to a farm in Iguede without his family members’ knowledge had since absconded from home when it was discovered that he took Damilare to a farm in Iguede and did not return with him. Aside from changing residence, he has changed his mobile phone number.”

Confirming his arrest, Adewinmbi affirmed that the suspect, who was arrested in Jagun village of the Irewole Local Government Area, has been on the radar of the security outfit after a complaint was lodged against him by the family of the missing person at the Ife North Command of the Corps.

General Adewinmbi said, “Luck ran out of Banji, following a tip-off from our extensive intelligence gathering network.”

The Osun Amotekun boss reiterated that the Corps’ commitment is proactively identifying such criminal elements in the state to face the wrath of the law.

He added that upon his arrest and preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to having lured the missing person and many others to the same farm in years past.

“The suspect, after extensive investigation, has been handed over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) for further interrogation and prosecution as the law stipulates,” Adewinmbi concluded.