A 25-year-old alleged cultist, Borokini Ayodeji, has said that he resorted to stealing because of hunger and a lack of support from family members.
Ayodeji, who was arrested and paraded by the Ondo State security outfit codenamed Amotekun, in Akure, lamented that he was abandoned hence he ventured into stealing to survive.
In an interview, the suspect confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity.
He admitted stealing from a government general hospital in Akure, the state capital out of hunger.
The suspect, who said that he was a trained tailor, noted that he resorted to stealing because of poverty and lack of support to establish his craft.
Also paraded was a 16 year old secondary school student in Akure, (names witheld) who confessed to raping a 24 year old neighbour at knifepoint.
According to his statement, the crime was unprovoked, and he expressed remorse for his actions.
In an interview, the suspect said: “I don’t know what came over me. I regret my actions.”
Parading the suspects, the state commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, said that 29 suspects, with seven others currently under interrogation, were arrested for various offences ranging from rape and burglary to attempted murder.
Adeleye said that the arrests were the result of intensified patrols and intelligence gathering across the state.
He assured residents of the Corps’ commitment to maintaining peace and curbing criminal activities, particularly during the festive season.
He said: “Among these, a notorious member of a vehicle and motorcycle theft syndicate, known for disassembling stolen vehicles and selling them as scrap outside the state, was apprehended.
“The operatives also arrested a serial house breaker who had been jailed twice in the last three years.“Shockingly, he resumed burglary activities within two weeks of his release from the prison.”
He said that to ensure safety during the yuletide season, 1,200 personnel had been deployed across the 18 local government areas of the state, supported by regular patrols and show-of-force exercises. (Vanguard)