A female farmer abducted by gunmen in Ondo State has died in the forest, despite a 72-hour rescue operation by security operatives, while five other kidnap victims were rescued in separate operations across the state.

The woman was one of two farmers kidnapped at Parubber community in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were working on their farms along the Ondo-Ife Road when the gunmen abducted them and took them into the forest. The kidnappers subsequently demanded N100 million ransom from their families.

The State Commander of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists on the agency’s recent operations at its headquarters in Akure.

Adeleye said the corps deployed nine members of its special squad after receiving a distress call and immediately contacted sister security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS), to commence a joint tracking operation.

According to him, the kidnappers repeatedly frustrated the rescue effort by sending false geolocation signals to security operatives, leading them away from the victims’ actual location.

He said the operation eventually led security operatives to a reserve forest several kilometres from the scene of the abduction, where the victims were found.
Adeleye said the male victim was rescued alive, but the female farmer was found unconscious and could not be revived.

He disclosed that two boys abducted in the Owo axis were also rescued without the payment of ransom.

According to him, one of the suspects linked to their abduction had been traced to Oyo State, with efforts ongoing to apprehend him.

Adeleye added that two other men abducted around the Ala-Dada axis were rescued after they managed to send a distress call.

He said Amotekun Rangers responded within minutes of receiving the alert and successfully secured the victims’ release from the forest.

Meanwhile, the commander disclosed that the corps had arrested suspected cattle rustlers operating around Ore, Ode-Aye, Ofosu and Omotosho in Odigbo Local Council.

He said the operation also uncovered individuals who allegedly bought stolen cattle from the suspects.

“We have those that bought these cows from him. He has ready markets across the state where he sends the cows to for sale at very ridiculous prices,” Adeleye said.

He said Amotekun had intensified intelligence gathering and bush-combing operations while adopting non-kinetic measures to counter the changing tactics of kidnappers and other criminals.

Adeleye stressed that the recent operations demonstrated the determination of security agencies to deny criminals safe havens in Ondo State.