Three employees of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State, have regained their freedom after spending six days in captivity following their abduction by gunmen while working on a farm within the institute’s premises.

The victims, identified as Eunice Babalola, Kehinde Gbalajobi and another employee known as Nelson, were reportedly kidnapped last Thursday when armed men stormed the farm at about 1pm and took them to an undisclosed location.

Their release in the early hours of Wednesday brought an end to six days of uncertainty for their families and colleagues, who had awaited news of their whereabouts.

Sources familiar with the incident said the kidnappers initially demanded N40 million for each victim but later allegedly reduced the ransom demand to N50 million for all three workers following negotiations.

The circumstances surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid, remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.

The Oyo State Police Command confirmed that the workers had been rescued after security operatives traced them to a bush near Globus Farm, also known as Triton.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security agencies were continuing efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the abduction.

Although the rescue has brought relief to the victims and their families, the police have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the incident.