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Amotekun foils bank robbery, arrests mastermind

By Tola Gbadamosi

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Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, has foiled an attempted robbery on three commercial banks in Irele local government area of the state.

The Corps also arrested the kingpin of the foiled bank robbery, identified as Fatai Bani.

Parading the leader of the seven-man robbery gang on Thursday at its headquarters in Akure, alongside other 36 suspects for their alleged involvement in various offences, the Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said  the kingpin also planned to kidnap a businessman in Irele.

Adeleye said intelligence of the corps led to the arrest of the mastermind, while six other members of the gang are still at large.

He called on the public to continue to support security agencies and volunteer reliable information, pledging their readiness to secure their lives and property in conjunction with other security agencies in Ondo State.

He said; “the seven-man gang came all the way from Sapele, Delta State for kidnapping and robbery.

“Six of them are at large, but we were able to apprehend the mastermind, Fatai Bani, who accommodated the robbers.

We were equally able to get to the root of the target that they intended to kidnap to give security agencies the feeling that it is mere robbery, whereas it was a dual operation.

“The manhunt for those who escaped to Delta State is on. We are liaising with relevant government and security authorities to assist us in apprehending the runaway gang members.

“Intelligence available to us showed that they intended to rob three banks and kidnap the Managing Director of a supermarket.

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Investigations showed that they liaised with a member of staff of the supermarket who declined to join the group.

“Amongst them are those who specialise in vandalising critical government assets. They actually went with a trailer to load pipes meant for a  World Bank financed water project and successfully offloaded it and our operatives followed them and apprehended them where they offloaded the goods.

“This is in furtherance of our determination to make our citizens live peacefully. We appeal to the public to continue to support us with timely information and we pledge to secure lives and property.”

Speaking with our reporter, wife of the gang leader, Mrs Aloro Angel confirmed that she overheard her husband, Fatai ,while making telephone calls on how to carry out the operations.

She hinted that the phone conversation was on plan and the mode of operation to be used by her husband’s gang before the cat was let out of the bag.

Meanwhile, the ring leader, Fatai Baani, 37, has confessed to the crime and said he and six other members now at large , were planning to kidnapp a supermarket owner (name withheld) in Ore, in Odigbo local government area of the state.

The Corps Commander said once the investigation is completed, they would be charged to court.

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