An uncompleted two-storey building believed to be a den of kidnappers and ritualists was on Monday discovered in Alagbaka area of Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The building is located a few meters away from the Ondo State House of Assembly and it is behind the popular government-owned events centre, the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade.
It is said to be owned by a retired civil servant in the state.
The discovery was made by the residents of the area who suspected that some men were always inside the building performing numerous secret activities on a daily basis.
Punch quoted a resident of the area as saying that the building has been abandoned for a long time and many residents of the area did not know the owner.
He said, “The suspects thought the gunshot was from the policemen who came for them. They quickly rushed out, but some commercial motorcycle riders in the area helped us to chase and arrest four of them, whom we later handed over to the police.”
The source added that it was the timely intervention of policemen that saved the suspects from being lynched by the angry residents of the area.
Reacting to the shocking discovery, yhe Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, said many suspects have been arrested in connection with the matter.
Joseph said, “We have arrested quite a number of them and we are currently interrogating them. It is after the interrogation and investigation that we can conclude whether they are ritualists or not.”