Forty-seven armed men, suspected to be members of a Fulani militia, have been arrested in Ibarapa area of Oyo State.
The men were arrested by men of the Operation Burst, a joint security outfit in the State including soldiers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
Security sources revealed on Tuesday that the armed hoodlums were arrested in the early hours of Sunday at Ofiki River, along Tapa/Igangan road in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the armed men were invited by their kinsmen in the area in reaction to the raid carried out by men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun on Saturday.
The suspects, caught with guns and other dangerous weapons, were said to be on a reprisal mission in the area. They were arrested in a convoy of buses.
Public Relations Officer of the state Police command, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, when contacted, confirmed the arrest of the 47 suspects.
Fadeyi, a Chief Superintendent of Police said the arrested hoodlums claimed that they were trailing some kidnappers who were about to collect ransom from relations of a kidnapped victim.
He added that investigation had been intensified on the arrest.
Fadeyi added that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan for discreet instigation.
“Yes, the arrested Fulani men have been transfered to SCID Iyaganku, Ibadan for discreet investigation.
“Though, it was alleged that the Fulani men claimed they were trailing some kidnappers who were about to collect ransom from relations of a kidnapped victim.
“Investigation intensified on the arrest,” he said
