JSS Girls Faked Their Own Kidnapping, Demanded a Ransom From Their Mother

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJuly 17, 2023

2 minutes read

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, has arrested two Junior Secondary School (JSS) Girls who faked their kidnap and demanded ransom from their mother and other prominent individuals in their town.

The suspects include 26 other suspected criminals who were arrested by the corps in different parts of the state in the last three weeks.

The state Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, paraded the suspects at the headquarters of the command in Akure, the state capital, on Monday. He said the suspects were arrested in the last three weeks in different parts of the state.

Adeleye said 18 of the suspects were arrested for kidnapping, while 10 were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, cultism, house breaking and other offences.

“The 28 suspects we are parading today (Monday) shows that we have more kidnapping than any other criminal activities. This is in continuation of our efforts at ensuring that kidnapping in Ondo State becomes a thing of the past.

“We have people who kidnapped themselves and raised alarm and in our diligent investigations, we were able to unravel the mystery surrounding their disappearance to the extent that they have confessed.”

He said the command was working in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure that kidnapping and other crimes become a thing of the past in Ondo State.

Among the suspected kidnappers were two secondary school girls, aged 13 and 15, who were students of JSS 1 and JSS 3 respectively. The girls confessed that they hid somewhere at Oka-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state, and called their mother, pretending to be kidnappers who abducted them and demanded a sum of N100,000.

They also called and threatened the traditional ruler of their town to pay the ransom within 24 hours or they would kill their victims. However, their plot was foiled by the men of Amotekun, who tracked their phone number with the help of the Department of State Security (DSS).

One of the girls said it was her elder sister who initiated the plan and taught her what to say on the phone. She said they wanted to use the money to buy clothes and shoes for themselves.

“On that day, my sister and I spent the night in our grandma’s place and left there around 6:00 am the following day. While on our way back home, my (elder) sister told me that she had a plan to get money from our mother.

“She then revealed her plan to declare ourselves kidnapped and asked for N50,000 each ransom from our mother. It was my sister who taught me what to say when they put a call through to my mother.

“When we called we didn’t know that it was the monarch that was speaking with us on the phone and we threatened to kill our victims in captivity if they failed to pay the ransom quickly.”

Adeleye also advised the public to be wary of the commercial motorcycles and taxis they board, as some of them are used by criminals to perpetrate crimes. He said Amotekun would continue to patrol and monitor the state to ensure peace and security.

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who established Amotekun in January 2020 as part of his efforts to tackle insecurity in Ondo State, has described the security outfit as a timely intervention that has made the state a model for other states to follow.

He said he would continue to support and collaborate with Amotekun and other security agencies to protect the lives and property of residents in Ondo State.