2 die as police rescue kidnap victim in Oyo

OPERATIVES of the Oyo State police command, in conjunction with vigilance group members, have rescued a businessman, Bakare Adamu, from suspected kidnappers at Sekere Baba’lokuta community in the Igbo-Ora area of the state.

During the rescue operation, around 4.00 a.m. on Tuesday, a leader of the Vigilante Group Nigeria (VGN), Tajudeen Ayanwale and one of the abductors were killed.

The victim, a Fulani cow merchant, was kidnapped in Eruwa at about 8.00 p.m. in his farm and made to trek for about eight hours before the police and the vigilance group members came to his rescue.

Adamu told Saturday Tribune in an interview that the kidnappers were five in number and that one of them told him he was not sure he would return home alive even if his family paid a ransom.

They told me that they wanted me to have children for them, so that the children can be brought up to become jihadists like them —Phoebe Musa

He, therefore, thanked the police and the VGN members for saving him.

The state Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene of the incident in Igbo-Ora, on Friday, commended the partnership between the VGN and the police, saying the synergy was helping to curb crime in communities.

Olukolu said apart from the kidnapper who was killed, three others also sustained gunshot wounds and efforts were ongoing to arrest them.

The police boss, who also visited the family of the deceased VGN member at Idofin community in Igbo-Ora, commiserated with them over the loss.

He said he had to come personally to visit the family because of the relationship between the police and the VGN in the state.

“The Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, is aware of the incident and expressed regret over the needless death.

“The Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde and his Special Adviser on Security, CP Fatai Owoseni (retd), are aware of the incident,” Olukolu stated.

He said the police would continue to work for the safety of the people of the state.

He assured the people of Ibarapa that the suspects would be arrested.

A member of the deceased’s family, Mr Rashers Adebayo Alatise, thanked the commissioner for finding time to personally visit the family.

Alatise said the visit would boost the morale of the VGN members whose leader was killed in the line of duty.

Nigerian Tribune