Gunmen abduct farm owner, nine workers in Ondo, demand N100m ransom

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers invaded a farm in Ayede Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State abducting ten men working on the farm including the owner of the farm, Femi Alawiye.

It was gathered that there was a fire outbreak on the farm last Saturday and the workers had to invite the owner of the farm to come and inspect the level of destruction caused by the fire.

A source informed that no sooner than Alawiye arrived on the farm with some other people, the hoodlums invaded the farm and whisked Alawiye and the workers away from the farm.

He said: “Late evening on Saturday, workers on the farm called Alawiye on phone to intimate him about the fire incident on his farm. He quickly rushed to the farm to assess the level of the damage.

“But immediately he arrived at the farm, some armed men came out from the bush and ordered them to line up and whisked them away to an unknown destination.”

He, however, said five of the victims were released by the abductors in the middle of the night while five others were being held in the kidnappers’ custody.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• ‘Officials initially offered to help but when the number of able-bodied citizens at the centre increased, they left us unattended to’
• Why Ogun Tops List Of ‘Yahoo Boys’ In Nigeria ― Governor Abiodun
• Police, Amotekun after criminals on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
• Suspected cannibal pays N500,000 for boy’s human organs, says ‘that’s my favourite meal, especially the throat’
• Court awards Nnamdi Kanu N1 billion over invasion of his home by military, asks FG to apologise

However, a family member of Alawiye, disclosed that the abductors had contacted the family, demanding N100 million as a ransom for the release of the abducted victims.

It was gathered that the kidnappers reduced the ransom to N10 million after a series of negotiations.

“The kidnappers called the family on phone to demand N100 million and threatened to kill the victims if the family fail to produce the money, and said we may not see them alive again. But five of the farmworkers have been released.

“But after the negotiation, they reduced the ransom to N10milion. But the family is yet to raise the money. That is where we are now. As I speak to you now, all of them (victims) are still in the den of the kidnappers.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state police command, Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident and said efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims unhurt.

“Our men are already in the bush in search of the victims and we are sure they would be rescued alive,” the PPRO stated.