Amotekun r£scues K!dnapped popular Prophet, prevents ₦100m rans0m payment, Arrest suspects
Amotekun rescues Kidnapped popular Prophet, prevents ₦100m ransom payment, Arrest suspects
The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, has prevented payment and collection of ₦100 million ransom and rescued a kidnapped victim, Prophet Joshua Oluwaseun Ariyo, after security operatives foiled his abductors’ attempt to collect the ransom.
The Commander of the Security network agency, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading 9 suspects at the command headquarters in Alagbaka Akure the state capital stating that one victim was rescued alive and in good condition on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after spending days in the kidnappers’ custody.
The Commander further disclosed that the rescue was achieved through the collaboration of security agencies and timely information from members of the public.
According to him, the victim was abducted at a church around the Ogbese/Uso axis shortly after a programme ended at about 7:30 p.m.
He said the abductors initially demanded ₦100 million ransom but later threatened to kill the victim.
Adeleye stated that the Command acting on the directives of the state government not to pay ransom to kidnappers, immediately cordoned off the area and commenced an intensive search of the surrounding forest.
He said the victim was eventually rescued at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
The commander disclosed that nine suspects were being paraded for various security related offences, including armed robbery, motorcycle theft and kidnapping.
The Amotekun boss said six suspects were arrested for various offences, while three others were linked to kidnapping and armed robbery.
He added that there were no recorded arrests relating to land and chieftaincy disputes, labour crises, farmer-herder clashes, human trafficking, student union crises, militancy, political or religious crises, cultism and rape related cases during the period under review.
The commander also warned members of the public against accepting unverified bank transfer alerts, following the arrest of a suspected fraudster allegedly using fake transfer alerts to purchase goods from supermarkets.
According to him, the suspect would make purchases worth hundreds of thousands of naira, after which the victims would receive transaction alerts. However, within about 10 minutes of his departure, the funds would disappear from their accounts.
He said more than nine complaints had been received before plain clothes operatives were deployed to supermarkets, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The commander advised traders and business owners to confirm payments directly with their banks before releasing goods.
The Amotekun boss also disclosed the arrest of two suspects, Odinese Ayodeji and Musa Azam, in connection with an armed robbery operation.
He said the suspects allegedly robbed a petrol station attendant and that the money taken during the operation had been recovered.
According to him, the suspects had confessed to the crime and would face prosecution, while the recovered money would be returned to the victim.
The commander further announced the arrest of two suspects, Koredo Shaya and Juan Tosi, allegedly involved in motorcycle theft.
He said Shaya allegedly dismantled stolen motorcycles, packed the parts into bags and disguised himself as a cart pusher to move them away from the scene.
He added that his accomplice allegedly used a spray to change the colour of stolen motorcycles within a short period, making it difficult for the original owners to identify them.
The commander also said two suspects linked to the kidnap of a traditional ruler in the state several months ago had been arrested and were assisting security operatives with information about other criminal operations.
Narrating his ordeal, the rescued victim, Prophet Joshua Oluwaseun Ariyo, said his abductors initially demanded ₦100 million but later decided to kill him when it became clear that the ransom might not be paid.
Ariyo said he was abducted shortly after a church programme at about 7:30 p.m., when the kidnappers stormed the area and started shooting.
He said although the abductors attempted to seize other people, they eventually took him away because of his physical condition.
According to him, the kidnappers tied his hands and legs, blindfolded him and subjected him to severe beating before taking him into the forest.
He said he heard gunshots around the area while he was in captivity and later realised that the security operatives were closing in on the kidnappers.
“I was hearing gunshots inside the forest. The last one I heard was very close to where they tied me. They tied my hands, covered my eyes, tied my legs and beat me more than I expected,” he said.
Ariyo said his abductors eventually dug a grave and threatened to kill him.
He attributed his survival to divine intervention and commended the Amotekun Corps, other security agencies, farmers and members of the community for their efforts in securing his release.
He particularly praised the Amotekun operatives for commencing the search immediately after the incident was reported and continuing the operation until he was rescued.
He said: “They were there from Monday, going up and down and searching for those people in the forest. They are the ones who brought me out of the forest.”
The Amotekun commander commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for providing an enabling environment for security agencies to operate effectively, while also urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.Access Services
