The Ogun State Amotekun Corps has apprehended a 41-year-old man, Enitan Awoyemi, from Irolu in Remo North Local Government Area, for allegedly staging his own kidnapping to avoid financial obligations.
Alade Adedigba, the State Corps Commander, announced the arrest in a statement from Abeokuta on Wednesday, revealing that Awoyemi’s wife, Tope, reported the alleged kidnapping on Sunday at 9 a.m.
According to Adedigba, “Tope, Awoyemi’s wife, reported at the Amotekun Irolu outpost that her husband had called her, claiming to have been kidnapped by unidentified individuals.” The supposed kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N5 million.
An investigation by the Amotekun Intelligence Team uncovered that Awoyemi was struggling with debts totalling N1 million from gambling losses in a lotto game.
Adedigba explained, “Awoyemi, who is a regular player of the game, had previously won N6 million, using portions of his winnings to purchase a Toyota Corolla Sports car and a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle for commercial purposes. Faced with the inability to repay his debts, he resorted to fabricating a kidnapping scenario.”
Working with the Vigilance Group of Nigeria and local community stakeholders, Amotekun operatives tracked Awoyemi to Ijagba and then to Ota in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, where he was eventually arrested at the Irolu Okada park early Wednesday morning.
Upon his capture, Amotekun officers noted a strong smell of insecticide on Awoyemi, leading to suspicions of an attempted suicide.
He was promptly taken to Rufina Private Hospital in Iperu for medical care.
Adedigba emphasised that Awoyemi will be handed over to the police for further investigation once he is medically stable, reaffirming the Corps’ dedication to maintaining law and order, protecting residents, and exposing deceitful activities within the state.
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