AS the 38 kidnapped but released church worshippers of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Isegun in Eruku, Ekiti Local Council in Kwara State, are still receiving medical attention in Ilorin, bandits have launched a fresh attack on the community on Sunday, abducting a farmer identified as Annas Aasanru.
Spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said that police operatives from Eruku Division received a complaint at about 2:00p.m. on Sunday that four armed men invaded a farm along Koro Road, Eruku, at about 12: 30 p.m., and abducted one Mr Aasanru, aged 40.
“After receiving the report, a joint team of police, military personnel and local vigilante members was immediately deployed to the area for an intensive search and rescue operation,” the spokesperson added.
The Command assured the public that all necessary efforts are underway to secure the return of the abducted victim.
According to a community leader, the attackers, suspected to be Fulani/Bororo men, numbering about four, stormed a farm along the Road leading to Koro.
“Armed with cutlasses and AK-47 rifles, the assailants invaded the farmland and kidnapped a man identified as Annas Aasanru, a native of Eruku, before escaping into the bush,” he said.
Meanwhile, Oba Kamilu Salami, the Ojibara of Bayagan in Ifelodun Local Council, who was kidnapped last Saturday along with six others, has escaped from his captors.
Oba Ojibara escaped with six others from neighbouring villages and communities on Sunday evening.
Sources from the palace hinted that the monarch escaped during a fierce gun battle between the kidnappers and local vigilantes who flooded the forests in a “make or break” rescue mission.
According to the sources: “the vigilante team launched an attack on the bandits deep in the forests and engaged them in a fierce battle around the EkuIdaji area, close to Igbaja.
“Although the traditional ruler and the six other escapees have not yet to arrived in the community, they have made contact with members of the community who confirmed what happened,” he said.
It would be recalled that earlier on Sunday, the bandits demanded a ransom of N150 million from the community before the monarch could be released.
