Dennis Erezi
No fewer than 18 travellers were abducted at the weekend by gunmen in Ondo State.
The travellers were waylaid around the Irun-Akoko/Imesi Ekiti highway on Saturday evening while en route to Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North East Local Council from Ekiti State.
A source, who craved anonymity, explained that a young boy escaped from the kidnappers while his mother and her staff were not lucky, and they were wisked into the forest by their abductors.
Following the development, apprehension gripped the community while trying to seek the identities of the victims.
According to one of the victims, Toyin Ogunyemi, who also escaped, the kidnappers had not contacted the families of the victims for ransom to secure their freedom.
A community leader, however, disclosed that soldiers and Amotekun Corps from Ekiti and Ondo State, with the cooperation of local vigilantes, are currently combing the forests to rescue the victims.
When contacted over the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisany, disclosed that four of the passengers who escaped reported the incident to the police.
She said, “Four people came to the station and reported that while on their way from Ado Ekiti to Ikare at Oyinmo Camp, Irun-Ado Ekiti Road, they were attacked by unknown gunmen.
“But they escaped through the bush; a police search team has been deployed to the area.
She assured that the victims would be rescued soon, saying detectives from the state police are combing the forest.
Also confirming the incident, the Commander of Amotekun Corps in the State, Adetunji Adeleye, said his men have begun combing the forests in the area, assuring that the victims will soon receive their freedom.
He said, “My men and soldiers from Ekiti are combing the forest, but the hoodlums did not kidnap the 18 passengers in the bus.
“Some of the passengers escaped themselves, while our men and soldiers recovered some of the victims in the night. Our men have combed the forest as we speak.”
