Sunday Ojo, a 16-year-old armed robbery suspect, on Monday narrated how he was involved in no fewer than 40 operations in Ondo State.
The 16-year-old was arrested by the state’s security outfit codenamed ‘Amotekun’ alongside two other notorious armed robbery suspects who caused mayhem in the state.
They include Timileyin Femi, aka ‘Anini’, 13 years old and Matti Lowe, aka ‘Osunbo’, 16 years.
Ojo, who was sent to a juvenile home when he was arrested last year by the state Amotekun, said his boldness, firearms and evil spirits are what gave him the courage to steal.
Speaking during his parade by the Amotekun corps in Akure, the state capital, Ojo said, “l have lost count of the robbery operations I have been involved in. But they can’t be fewer than 40.
“I was overwhelmed by an evil spirit that motivates me to steal.”
The state Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said that Sunday was a second-time armed robbery suspect.
Adeleye added that the suspect, who was arrested for illegal possession of firearms when he was 13 years old and sent to a juvenile home, was again arrested for burglary and stealing.
Adeleye said, “We’ve arrested a juvenile robber, who adopted the name of notorious Nigerian armed robber, ‘Oyenusi’.
“We re-arrested a young boy we arrested three years ago and took to juvenile for illegal possession of firearms and robbery.
“At that time, he was 13 years. The best we could do was to hand him over to a juvenile and see if he could be rehabilitated.
“Right now, he’s 16. This time around, he broke into a number of shops and removed items. Between then and now, he confessed that he had engaged in over 40 housebreaking activities.”
Adeleye, however, reassured members of the public to go about their businesses without fear, stressing that the state will not be a hiding place for criminals.
“My advice to criminals is to go away from the state because there is no hiding place for them.
“We will continue to work with other security agencies to make sure that Ondo State is safe for normal business and social activities,” he added.
