Gunmen on Wednesday abducted two Chinese from their farm in Oba town in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government, a day before the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, inaugurated the state wing of the South-West Joint Security Outfit, Amotekun.
The governor, who inaugurated the Amotekun on Thursday at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, noted that Chinese nationals had become victims of kidnapping.
Our correspondent gathered that the Chinese nationals working with a fishery and poultry company were whisked away when the abductors attacked the farm.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the abductors accessed the farm through the River Ogun and escaped with the captives through the route.
He said, “We are working to locate and rescue the victims.”
The governor at the inauguration said, “There have been incidents of kidnapping in the state in the last one week with Nigerians and Chinese Nationals as victims.
“Through combined efforts of our security agencies working with locals, some of the victims have been rescued.
“A number of initiatives are being put together to stem this ugly tide and other forms of criminality in the state.”
The governor said Amotekun was not meant to compete with other security agencies, but to strength the security apparatus of the state.
The governor, who decorated Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as the ‘Super Marshall of Amotekun Corps’, noted that the security challenges facing the state and the nation needed the cooperation of all Nigerians and security agencies who should work in harmony.
If you abuse Amotekun uniform, Ogun will strike you – Soyinka
Soyinka at the event warned to the newly inaugurated Amotekun corps against abuse of uniforms.
Soyinka threatened that “before Ogun (god of iron) strikes you, we would have dealt with you.”
He said society was watching the Amotekun corps’ performance, warning them not to become a thorn in the flesh of the people.
The literary icon said, “You have been created to assist them (people), to protect them, to be part of them, to live with them, to gather information, to say to the police, the military, we cannot handle this, but we have seen this, would like to take a look and assist.
“So Amotekun, we are watching you, if you abuse your uniform, before Ogun strikes you, we would have dealt with you.”
Soyinka also warned police and other security agencies to eschew “silly competition” with the Amotekun corps.
The Nobel laurel urged the security agencies to cooperate and collaborate among the security outfits towards taming security challenges.
Soyinka also lamented the invasion of his Abeokuta home in the past by burglars, who stole “sensitive materials.”
Soyinka appealed to the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, to help him find those behind the many burglary attacks on his home while he was away, as well as help recover his “sensitive materials that were stolen.”
Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, said although Ogun was one of the safest states in the country, much needed to be done to maintain it.
Copyright PUNCH.
