Operatives of Western Nigeria Security Network code-named Amotekun Corps in Osun State, have arrested three men for allegedly stealing goats in Osogbo and transporting them to Ibadan, Oyo State to sell.
Parading the suspects, including a 40-year-old mechanic, Segun Oladipupo, Wale Samuel and Sulemon Garbuga, in Osogbo, yesterday, the Field Commander, Osun Amotekun Corps, Amitolu Shittu disclosed that the suspects confessed to stealing 18 goats found in their possession.
He said the trio were arrested in the early hours in Osogbo on Monday after some operatives of Oyo State Amotekun alerted the Osun command that some criminals were dealing in stolen goats and conveying them in a space bus to Ibadan to sell them.
According to him, Osun Amotekun swung into action and invaded some places where the suspects were arrested with the bus they use for the criminal operation.
Shittu explained that the suspects confessed that the bus was allegedly bought by of them, who is on the run, to carry out the operation.
On how they operate, Shittu said: “The suspects use beans and onions to cover the goats, which according to the suspects were picked at different locations in Osogbo and Ibadan.
“We were notified by some operatives in Ibadan that some criminals engage in stealing of goats. We decided to invade some places and discovered some suspects with a bus carrying goats. They put beans and onion to cover them, during interrogation they confessed to having stolen them.”
While urging the residents of Osun to be security conscious, the Amotekun boss said: “so many unthinkable things are happening in our societies, people have to be vigilant regarding their lives and security.”
He further stressed that the Osun Amotekun was carrying out an investigation to arrest other criminals that are involved in the act and urged members of the public to support the operatives in carrying out the investigation.
He assured that the suspects would be handed over to the police and charged to court after a full investigation has been concluded.
In an interview, the three suspects admitted to have jointly committed the crime and explained that they have been in the business for months.
They further confessed that it was their third time in stealing and transporting stolen goats, adding that they were caught on their fourth operation.
Oladipupo, however, claimed that her sister bought the bus for him for transport business before Samuel introduced him to stealing and selling stolen goats.
