As the year gradually winds to a halt, the Oyo State Government on Tuesday said it is mindful of the possibility of a spike in criminal activities and has taken measures to safeguard the lives and property of residents.
As part of efforts to stem the spate of kidnapping, the Oyo State chapter of the Southwest Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, say they have recovered four AK rifles, military camouflages, and about sixty rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, alleged to have been abandoned by kidnappers operating in an undisclosed forest in the state.
Other items recovered were wraps of Cannabis, raincoats and two Nigerian Army caps, and one beret.
Briefing journalists at the state headquarters of the corps at Moniya area of Ibadan, the Amotekun Commandant, Colonel Olayinka Olayanju, explained that the men of the command had been combing the forests in some parts of the state, following the recent abductions of passengers along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
He said the efforts of his men paid off recently when the items were discovered in one of the forests, following a tip-off that some gunmen were cited in one of the undisclosed forests.
Olayanju added that a joint operation with the corps and the deployment of surveillance cameras for the operation in the past two weeks led to the latest discovery.
He noted that the press briefing became necessary to shed light on speculations making the rounds about the recent activities of the Amotekun in the state.
The Amotekun boss assured that officials of the security network were still combing the forests with a view to nabbing the fleeing criminal elements.