Kidnappers terrorize Ogun community, extort 2.5m, motorcycle in ransom

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Kidnappers in Ogun have reportedly released a motorcyclist and his passenger (Oladele and Isiaka) abducted five days ago in the Imeko area of the State, after receiving a ransom of N2.5 million in addition to a new motorcycle.

Reports have revealed that the victims, Nurat Oladele and her Okada rider, Dauda Isiaka, were abducted by gunmen on their way from Ijio, Iwere Ile, an Oyo community which shares a boundary with the State on Monday,

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Omolola Odutola, had confirmed the incident earlier in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday.

According to the statement, an eyewitness had reported the incident to the Divisional Police Officer at Imeko in Imeko/Afon Local Government Area of the state, with the Police Command reassuring residents it had launched a manhunt of the abductors of the victims.

However, after four days, a ransom was raised by the community in consonance with the victims’ family members and paid to the kidnappers before the duo were freed.

In more troubling developments, residents of the area have also raised the alarm of the arrival of a group of armed men, suspected to be Fulani, passing through Oke-Ola Quarters en route to the northern outskirts of Imeko.

Some of the residents explained that despite the efforts to intercept them, the armed men remained elusive, leaving the community on edge.

The source further said that in a subsequent development, two Fulani men, along with a Yoruba Okada rider, were apprehended by the police, but later released after an hour. Adding that another resident was abducted shortly after the suspects were released.

According to reports, the kidnappers had targeted one Mrs. Oparinde Motunrayo, but failed and consequently abducted her son, Oparinde Daniel.

The residents of the community further appealed to the police to save them from the hands of the terrorists ravaging their peace.

Efforts to confirm this latest development from the State Police PRO failed, as she was unreachable as of the time of filing this report.