Gunmen abduct seven farmers in Ondo, demand N100m ransom

Seven farmers have been kidnapped by armed men in Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, sparking intense manhunt efforts by security operatives.

The victims were reportedly abducted on Saturday while harvesting palm fruits on their farmland. Their captors later contacted the victims’ families and demanded a ransom of ₦100 million for their release.

Commander of the Ondo State Security Network, Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, confirmed the incident and said operatives had been deployed to the forests to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

“I can confirm the incident. Our men have been in the forests and are still there. I was there myself and we are hopeful they will be rescued soon,” Adeleye said.

The state police spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, also confirmed the incident, noting that tactical teams have been mobilised to comb the area. While he declined to give an exact figure of those abducted, he assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the culprits and ensure the safe return of the victims.

A community source revealed that the victims' families were contacted by the abductors late Sunday evening, and that negotiations were still ongoing.