Epe school pupils’ kidnappers surrender arms

Kidnappers, who adopted six students of Lagos Model College, Igbonla, Epe, Lagos state, have surrendered guns, explosives and ammunition to the and embraced the federal government amnesty programme.
They were identified as militants behind the series of kidnap in Lagos,Ondo and nearby states as well as allegedly vandalising the Arepo pipeline and attacks on persons in the riverine areas.
Their leader, Ogailo Iborri Young, also known as OC, led the team to to the Collection and Documentation of Arms Centre in their hometown, Ajapa community, in Ese-Odo local council of the state, where they willingly surrendered their arms and ammunition.
The event was witnessed by the Deputy Governor and Chairman of State Amnesty Committee, Agboola Ajayi, representatives of Delta state government, Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base, Igbokoda, Navy Captain Usman Yahaya among others.Weapons collected included: Browning WZ machine gun, Daewoo K3, Colt Automatic Rifles, General Purpose Machine gun, Breda 30, Fiat Revelli Modelling, AK 47 Rifles, Rocket Launcher, CETME Ameli, Heckler & Koch MG4, Pump Action and Automatic Cartridges.
Similarly, military uniforms, police bullet proof vests, dynamites grenades, bombs and helmets were also surrendered to the state government and security operatives at the collection centre.
Young commended the state and the federal government for the fresh amnesty initiative to rid the region of violence and civil unrest, saying that they got the arms during Ijaw/Ilaje crises in 1998.
Young and his gang, who looked sober, said they decided to give up on their oil-bunkering business and resort to kidnapping to draw government’s attention to their plights.
“We did not find life very easy so we relocated to Ogun state, where the Government College, Igbonla, Epe school boys were kidnapped, and whose release led to the current arrangements through the deputy governors of Ondo and Delta states.
“We did not kidnap these boys for ransom, but to negotiate our freedom and full reintegration to civil life.
The deputy governor urged the beneficiaries to always embrace peace. The Commanding Officer, Navy Captain Yahaya, said the exercise in Ajapa community was more impressive in relation to the record of the exercise since it started some weeks ago.

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