Western Nigeria Security Network in Ondo State, code named Amotekun Corps, has arrested 27 suspects over alleged kidnapping, stealing and other crimes.

The state Commander of the  Amotekun Corps, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, broke the news while parading the suspects before reporters yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Adeleye said the suspects, including four alleged kidnappers, were arrested in various parts of the state.

He said the suspected kidnappers and other gang members still on the run had for long been terrorising  villagers in Ikakumo-Akoko.

“We also arrested a major member of a syndicate that specialises in killing commercial motorcycle riders, after robbing them.

“We went as far as Kogi and Edo, before we were able to track and arrest the suspect, who is here on parade.”

“He has confessed to stealing so many motorcycles in the last five years in Akure, Ogbese and Uso .

“He said he has lost count of the number of motorcycles stolen, and after dispossessing their owners of them, dismantled them, and took the parts out of the state in pieces,” the commander said.

Adeleye said the command’s personnel also arrested five suspects who specialise in stealing household equipment and foodstuffs.

Equally arrested were suspects, who allegedly broke into a shop and stole mattresses, which were sold between N5,000 and N10,000.

The commander further said that the recent establishment of the Amotekun Rangers had yielded positive results as some suspected criminals have been arrested in border forests in Edo and Kogi.

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has declared the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners of the chairmanship elections held on Saturday across the 17 local government areas of the state.

ENSIEC Chairman, Prof. Christian Ngwu, who declared the results on Sunday said the Commission conducted free and fair elections in the local government areas.

Declaring the elections as the fairest, Ngwu said the commission carefully collated and analysed the results to ensure that there were no mistakes.

“We carefully collated and analysed the results to ensure that there were no mistakes,” he said.

However, none of the opposition candidates that contested the chairmanship positions was at the ENSIEC Collation Centre where the election results were declared.

Expressing joy at their victory, chairman-elect for Oji River local government, Greg Amyaegbudike said he would make youth empowerment his watchword.

Anyaegbudike pledged to provide gainful jobs for employable youths and organise skills acquisition programme that would benefit all.

“I’ll make sure that the youth of Oji River are gainfully employed. Those who are employable, will definitely get employed,” he pledged.

One of the Nigerian Army personnel, identified only as Abubakar, has allegedly killed Olapade Segun, an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday following a confrontation between the two men, who had met days earlier at a nightclub in the Bodija area of Oyo State.

According to an eyewitness who spoke under anonymity, Abubakar brandished a dagger during the altercation and stabbed Segun.

However, the NSCDC officer succumbed to his injuries due to severe blood loss.

It was reported that the soldier was severely beaten by an angry mob after attempting to flee the scene of the fatal altercation.

According to a source, “A soldier named Abubakar and an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) got into a heated argument at a nightclub in the Bodija area of Ibadan.

“The soldier, in a fit of rage, drew a dagger and stabbed the NSCDC officer, who later died from excessive blood loss. When the soldier tried to escape, the infuriated crowd caught him and delivered a brutal beating. It wasn’t until his fellow soldiers arrived and dispersed the mob that he was rescued.”

Another source disclosed that some senior Army officers had been frequenting the NSCDC state command as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.

“I heard the Army has formed a panel to investigate the situation, and some top-ranking officers have been visiting the NSCDC command in connection with the matter,” the source added.

Attempts to reach the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, on Sunday were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off, and he hadn’t responded to messages at the time of the report.

Meanwhile, NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, did not answer multiple calls or respond to messages.