Gunmen Abduct Poly Students, Demand N16m Ransom

Fidelis David in Akure

Gunmen yesterday abducted four students of Kogi State Polytechnic along the Akunnu-Ajowa Road in Akoko North West Local Government Area, Ondo state.

Shortly after the incident, THISDAY findings revealed that the abductors had contacted the relatives of the students demanded N16 million ransom

Multiple sources confirmed the incident yesterday.

One of the sources revealed that the students were returning home for the yuletide before they were attacked at Ago Jinadu axis, an area noted for criminal activities, especially kidnapping.

He added that the incident had since thrown Ajowa, a community in Akoko North LGA, into a pensive mood with the parents of the victims working with security agencies to secure their release.

Another source claimed that the commercial driver, simply identified as Momodu, was earlier warned by the parents of the students not to take the route noted for kidnapping and armed robbery but he insisted.

Confirming the incident yesterday, former Vice Chairman, to Akoko North-west LGA, Mr. Ajayi Bakare observed that commuters “always travel the Akunu-Ikaram-Gedegede road to Ajowa for the fear of the miscreants.

Bakare revealed that their abductors “have already demanded N3 million for each student and N4 million for the driver respectively.”

In the same vein, the police have arrested the mechanic of a popular cream dealer in Ikare Akoko, Late Augustine Okoye who died in a kidnappers’ den last week.

The late Okoye was allegedly tortured to death by his abductors despite collecting ransom from the family.

Wife to the deceased, Mrs Bolaji Okoye had told the police that her husband’s mechanic, simply called Segun, was sighted in the bush while they were being held hostage.

Commander, Ikare Area Police Command, Muri Agboola also confirmed the abduction of the students, revealing that security operatives had been combing forests along the Akunnu-Ajowa Akoko Road to rescue them.

The area commander noted that the late Okoye had been moved to Police Headquarters in Akure for further interrogations.