Suspected kidnappers return to Ekiti, kidnap lawyer, 9 others

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6 years ago

A lawyer practicing in Ekiti State was among 10 people that were kidnapped last weekend allegedly by Fulani gunmen, at the Iwaraja – Efon axis of the state, a development that has raised fresh fears among the people of the state and the users of the road.

Sources said the kidnappers had attacked around three in the afternoon and had shot sporadically as they took their victims away.

A police source said the kidnappers were Fulani, and had taken to their heels when the police gave them a hot chase as they ran into the bush.

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Nigerian Tribune gathered that the police had engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, which led them to shed the number of their victims as they ran.

According to the sources, the unrelenting police pursuit and engagement of the bandits led to their release of nine of their victims, and eventually went away with one.

The one they took away is a legal practitioner named Adeola Adebayo.

The lawyer and the family were said to have been travelling from Osogbo back to Ekiti when they were attacked.

The lawyer’s father, a lawyer and Lecturer at Ekiti State University (EKSU), his mother, sister and wife were released, while he is the only person in their captivity.

According to a statement by his family, the gunmen numbering 10 had demanded the sum of N100 million ransom for his release.

Adebayo is the Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikole -Ekiti branch.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti Police Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, said a total of 10 people were abducted, saying “but upon the efforts of the officers and men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Police Mobile Squad and the DPO of the area, nine of the victims were freed.”

Ikechukwu added that “we’ve been able to establish a link through the number the abductors were using the call the family but we cannot release details now so as not to endanger the life of the man in captivity.”