Unknown gunmen abduct travellers in Osun

Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo

A yet-to-be-identified number of travellers have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Osun state.

It was gathered that the incident occurred along Omo/Erin-Ijesha road in Ori-Ade Local Government Area of Osun on Sunday night.

The travellers were reportedly waylaid on the road by gunmen where some of them were taken to a nearby bush around Ori-Oke Omo while others were left at the scene.

One of the victims who escaped from the kidnappers was said to have reported the incident at Ijebu-Ijesha police station.

The Corps Commander of Amotekun outfit, Osun State, General Bashir Adewinbi, while confirming the incident, noted that some travellers were abducted on Sunday.

He said, “It is true that some people were abducted at Omo-Ijesa, and we are yet to know their numbers, but we have deployed our personnel to the scene for a search and rescue mission.”

The Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress in the state, Prince Deji Aladesawe also confirmed the incident.

He disclosed that the group has deployed members to the scene to assist security agencies in combing the forest areas in the community.

Police spokesperson, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, also confirmed the abduction, noting that police officers have been deployed to rescue the victims.

She said, “We got information of the abduction of some people at Omo-Ijesa late on Sunday and police have been on the trail of the kidnappers to rescue the abducted persons.

A security source said, “The Commissioner of Police alerted the Amotekun corps about the kidnap. The police, with the Amotekun corps, have been mobilised to the scene.

“The area that they kidnapped those travellers has been giving security agents issues for a while now. There was a time that they shot Amotekun corps there. The numbers of those abducted by the gunmen are not known.”