A 65-year-old man, Akorede Lawal, suspected to be a ritualist, has been arrested by the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, for taking 18-year-old boy, Segun Thomas, into captivity for alleged ritual purposes.
The incident happened at the weekend in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, after the victim was hypnotised with charms and brought from Lagos to Ondo State.
Items found in the bag of the suspect included; two daggers, a calabash with black soap, an animal horn, charms, six mobile phones, a diary with telephone numbers and a radio.
The Guardian learnt that Thomas, who lives in Mushin area of Lagos State and undergoing training as an automobile mechanic, left home for the mechanic shop on that fateful day and found himself at Ore in Ondo State.
It was alleged that the suspect requested Thomas, who was on his way to the workshop in Mushin to help him to carry his bag, and immediately, Thomas obliged by taking the bag from him, he started following him.
It was further alleged that while the boy was with the bag, the man interrogated him and he gave out information that his father lives abroad.
The boy was asked to call his father immediately to request for money while they were on their way. On getting to Ore, the bag was taken from him by the driver as he was asked to pay his transport fare and that was when he regained his senses and this resulted in a state of confusion.
It was said that men of the Intelligence Unit of Ondo Amotekun Corps ,who were on duty, got tips of the situation, rescued the teenager, arrested the suspect and whisked him to the Corps Headquarters in Akure.
The victim, Thomas, recounted his ordeal: “On my way to the shop, I met this man who said I should help him to carry his bag because it was too heavy for him since he was carrying another bag. I took the bag from him, hoping he will soon get a vehicle that would take him to his destination.
“But helplessly, I found myself following him. He asked me about my parents and I realised I was answering him and was responding, complying to all what he was saying. He asked me to place a call to my father who is living abroad to request for money.
“I agreed to that and we got to Ojota. We entered a vehicle going to Ore. When we got to Ore, the driver asked me to pay my money and he took the load from me. That was when I regained my memory and realised that I was already in Ondo State.
“An argument broke out which attracted the attention of the Amotekun men who eventually rescued me from the man.”
But the suspect, Lawal, who said he was an ex- herbalist, claimed that he innocently asked the boy to help him carry his bag, adding that he willingly embarked on the journey with him. He said he was on his way to Akure to meet with his family.
While confirming the arrest, the State Amotekun Corps Commander, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said: “Men of our Intelligence unit posted around motor parks in Ore, noticed some funny behaviour between the young boy and the suspect.
“On questioning, they found out that the boy did not know how he got to Ore. As far as the boy was concerned, he thought he was in Lagos. On interrogation, we realised he had debriefed the boy and found out his father lives abroad and asked the boy to call his father to send money while being hypnotised.
“He was brought to the headquarters and we got a clue that his mother lives in Lagos and placed a call to her.” Adeleye advised parents to teach their wards to abstain totally from strangers, saying “Yes, we were thought to render help to the elderly, but nowadays it has become the other way round in our society.
Also reacting, mother of the victim, a 42-year-old food vendor, Mrs. Rashidat Babatunde, who lives with her four children in Mushin, Lagos State, said: “I got a call about 3:00a.m. from somebody that said he was calling from Amotekun.
“I told the person that I don’t know what they call Amotekun and that I have not been to Akure before. He said my son who left home at about 9 a.m. for where he was receiving training as a mechanic was found in Ondo State.
“Honestly, I got confused. I was directed to go to Ojota and board a vehicle to Akure and that when I get to Akure, I should ask for Amotekun headquarters.
“I want to thank the corps for such an unbelievable gesture, which rescued my son from his captor.”
