Sule Gende, a security guard at a rubber plantation in Edo State, has been arrested by Ondo State’s Amotekun security outfit for orchestrating his own kidnapping and demanding a N50 million ransom from his employer.
The arrest was made after Amotekun paraded 22 suspects in Akure, the state capital. Chief Adetunji Adeleye, the commander of Amotekun, confirmed that two additional suspects were arrested in connection with the scheme.
According to Adeleye, Gende had staged his abduction at his workplace in Edo State and was later taken to a hideout in the Southern senatorial district of Ondo State.
Rather than prosecuting the suspects in Ondo, Adeleye revealed that the two individuals would be handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Edo State to complete the investigation and trial.
It was also revealed that Gende had spent several days in an apartment owned by his 19-year-old friend, James Lisbon, a fellow security guard.
Lisbon stated that he allowed Gende to stay with him after being told that his friend would soon be traveling to Benue State. Lisbon also confirmed that he gave Gende N10,000 twice during his stay.
An official from the company where Gende worked said CCTV footage showed the guard being kidnapped by armed men. The kidnappers later contacted the company and demanded N50 million for his release, which was later negotiated down to N15 million.
After no progress was made in tracing the abductors, the company contacted the DSS, and eventually, Amotekun tracked the suspects to their hideout.
In related news, Chief Adeleye announced that Amotekun had deployed 1,200 personnel to patrol strategic areas across the 18 local government areas in the state during the festive season.
He assured the public that the 24/7 patrols would help prevent any rise in criminal activity due to the influx of visitors, as Amotekun works alongside other security agencies to maintain safety during the holidays.