A gang of teenage suspects, who adopted the names of dreaded armed robbers that terrorised the country in the past, have been arrested by men of the Ondo Amotekun Corps.
Timilehin Femi, 13, known in the underworld as Anini; Ojo Sunday, 16, aka Oyenusi, and another who took up the name Monday Osunbor, were apprehended alongside other suspects in what the Amotekun corps called a recent operation.
Oyenusi was the first armed robber to be publicly executed in the country.
Anini and Osunbor were members of a gang that terrorised the country especially the old Bendel State (now Edo and Delta) between 1984 and 1986.
They were publicly executed in 1987.
Also paraded were the native doctor that prepared charms for the teenage robbers, Adeyemi Ayodele, his mother, Kehinde and the mother of the teenage Anini, Iyabo.
Speaking to reporters, the teenage Anini said he joined a robbery gang when he was 12 years old.
He said, “I have been robbing since I was 12. I used to keep my gun inside the ceiling and sometimes I gave it to our herbalist. My mother also fortified me with charms so that I won’t be caught. After robbery operations, we handed over the stolen goods to the herbalist who would sell them. But we didn’t hand over any cash to him. I have participated in about 46 operations.
“I was given the name Oyenusi by people within my neighborhood,” Sunday said.
Ondo Commander of Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said investigations have been concluded and that the suspects would soon be charged to court.
“It is amazing that we have a second time armed robber who named himself Oyenusi and the first timer here is a 12-year-old who called himself Anini. He confessed that he has to climb stool to keep his weapon in the ceiling and he is being empowered by the mother to guarantee that nobody could arrest him.
“Now he has graduated to full blown armed robber and he operates a seven group member. He is the youngest but he is the most vicious and powerful.”