Police arrest suspect as gunmen abduct driver in Ondo

The Police Command in Ondo State says it has arrested one suspect in connection with the abduction of a tipper driver, Tobi Abdulmalik Oluwatuyi.

Oluwatuyi was kidnapped by gunmen on Friday at Ilu-Abo, along the Akure/Owo Expressway in Akure North Local Government Area of the state

DSP Olushola Ayanlade, the command’s spokesperson, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said that efforts were ongoing to arrest the perpetrators.

“Yes, it is true that a tipper driver was kidnapped yesterday while his motor boy escaped. Meanwhile, we made an arrest that same yesterday.

However, efforts are on going to arrest the perpetrators,” Ayanlade said.

Also, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, Commander, Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said operatives had begun an intensive bush-combing operation to rescue the victim.

We are already combing the forest and have blocked the routes leading to Ise in Ekiti to prevent the kidnappers from escaping.

We are on top of the situation and determined to secure the victim’s release,” Adeleye said.

Earlier, The owner of the tipper, Monday Ayesoro, who confirmed the abduction to newsmen, said that the incident occurred around 6am on Friday when the vehicle reportedly developed a fault.

According to him, the truck broke down along the way, and when the driver was attempting to fix the truck, armed men emerged from the bushes and whisked him away.

“However, the driver’s assistant, popularly known as the motor boy, managed to escape from the scene and alerted nearby residents for help,” he said.

(NAN)