From Victor Akinkuolie,  Ado-Ekiti

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Residents of Ilupeju-Ekiti, Oye local government area of Ekiti State, have raised an alarm over the mistaken identity of a suspected kidnapper arrested recently in connection with the case of Ikare/Irun Akoko/Ado-Ekiti highway.

The suspect arrested by combined efforts of Irun Akoko community vigilantes and local hunters was handed over to men of the Nigeria Army at the checking point,

According to the people of the community, they explained that the suspect, an indigene of Ilupeju-Ekiti, is a mentally unstable person popularly called “Ade” always move from one town to another in search of food.

According to a reliable source from the town, the suspect until his mistaken identity and arrest, covered himself with several dresses and pile up mountain of refuse at a spot along the popular market in the town.

He was said to have left the venue in the town few days before the kidnapping incident occurred and moved towards Ire-Ekiti, before he was arrested by the local hunters and the vigilante group.

The source said: “We just got a call from Ilupeju Ekiti now, that the so-called suspected kidnapper arrested along Ikare/Irun-Akoko highway few days is not a kidnapper, but a ‘mentally unstable’ person who is an indigene of Ilupeju-Ekiti.

“His name is Ade and he is said to be very popular in the town, even though he likes to walk from place to place, without talking,”the source said.

It was recently widely reported that one of the suspected kidnappers of travellers a long Ikare-Irun Akoko -Ado Ekiti highway in Ondo was arrested.

The suspect who was first brought to the Palace of Onirun of Irun Akoko after his arrest in the forest, was later transferred to the Army office in Ikare Akoko for further action.