Operatives of Oyo State Security Network Agency comprising Amotekun Corps collaborating with Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) apprehended six bandits at Kajola Local Government of Oyo state while on their joint routine patrol in the early hours of Thursday along two separate routes within the LGA.

The statement by Commandant Amotekun Oyo State, Olayinka Olayanju, a retired Colonel, stated that they were arrested in separate incidents following encounters at two illegally mounted roadblocks.

Olayanju said: “They tried to escape from the scene but were given hot pursuit by the operatives as they tried to evade arrest. We are still on the trail of others who managed to escape from the scene.”

The bandits namely Awali Atine, Ibrahim Abu, Shuaib Balau, Ibrahim Musa, Abdullah Masika and Umar Aliu Masika (All six arrested were of Bororo Fulani ethnic group) were arrested along Okeho-Ilua and Okeho-Iseyin Road at about 4 am on Thursday.

The bandits, whose modus operandi is to pretend to be herdsmen in the day and violently rob innocent passengers on the highways at night, were caught with 183 cows, weapons and a total sum of N268,470.

The Amotekun leader said the suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Police in Okeho Divisional Headquarters alongside the 183 herds, weapons and money found in their possession for further investigation.

Olayanju also urged those with necessary information that could help law enforcement agencies in their investigation to cooperate and report to the nearest police authority for proper investigation.

In another development, five bandits were equally arrested in Saki East and handed over the DPO in the area on same day.