Gunmen allegedly collect N1.5m, cigarettes, milk, schnapps, energy drink to release abducted victim in Ekiti

No fewer than three persons were in the early hours of Wednesday kidnapped by gunmen during a midnight raid in Ilasa-Ekiti, Ekiti East local government area of Ekiti State.

A source told Tribune Online that the kidnappers received about N1.5 million,  seven packs of cigarettes, ten tin milk, one bottle of hot schnapps and three packs of bullet drink as ransom before a man identified simply as Olu, one of the victims said to be a timber merchant regained his freedom on Wednesday morning.

This is coming barely two weeks after a couple preparing for their wedding were abducted by gunmen in the area and spent five days in captivity before a reported payment of N3 million ransom.

Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen invaded the community at about 1.30 am in Eti- Ero farmstead in Ilasa Ekiti and ransacked the entire households where three farmers were seized and taken to an unknown destination.

One of the sources said, “The gunmen came around 1.30 am and started shooting sporadically. The gunshots generated a lot of panic and some brave people among them had to rush out of their buildings and fled into the bush.

“As they were shooting, they were searching all the buildings and in the course of doing the searching, they got home of a child confirmed to be less than 10 years and three others who were farmers.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident but said only two persons were reported at the station.

“Even the police have rescued one of the captives from the abductors and one person had been arrested in connection with the midnight raid,” he said.

In a related development, a timber merchant in Ara-Ekiti, Ikole local government area of the state who was kidnapped three days ago has regained his freedom from the gunmen.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Gunmen allegedly collect N1.5m  Gunmen allegedly collect N1.5m

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Gunmen allegedly collect N1.5m  Gunmen allegedly collect N1.5m