Bandits Kidnap Five Persons, Demand N100m Ransom in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Ten suspected armed bandits have  reportedly kidnapped five persons including the Head of local hunters of Odo-owa town in Oke-Ero Local Government Council Area of Kwara State.

The kidnapped victims according to THISDAY checks, were said to be returning from a wedding event at Egbe town in Kogi State.

 It was gathered that, the suspected bandits were said to have laid ambush for the victims along  Obo- Aiyegunle road  in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state where the bus that carried the victims was intercepted.

Sources close to the family of the victims told journalists in Ilorin  yesterday that the incident happened last Saturday  around 4.00 p.m while returning from a wedding event in Egbe town of Kogi State.

Sources said that, the armed bandits  were said  have kidnapped the victims and they were later  taken to the nearby  bush in the area.

It was further learnt that, the armed bandits were said to be demanding N100m ransom from the families of the victims.

Contacted, the state police command Public Relations Officer, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, who said she was  yet to get information on the incident, said that the state police command  would commence investigation on the incident and brief the journalists on it. 

Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Victor Olaiya, has banned the use of fireworks and explosives during the celebration of Christmas and new year in the state.

A statement issued in Ilorin yesterday by the police commissioner, which was signed by the command’s public relations officer,  Ejire-Adeyemi, said  the command has also deployed officers to various strategic locations in order to protect life and property during the celebration.

Olaiya also stated that the command has restricted the movement of motorcycles (Okada) and  tricycles (Keke Napep) between the hours of 9:00 p.m and 6:00 a.m during the yuletide.

He noted that the prohibition of fireworks and explosives like bangers became imperative so as not to serve as cover for  criminals to perpetrate their illegal activities during the period.

He stressed that anyone caught embarking on this act would face the full wrath of the law.

While calling on the people of the state to avoid night travelling, Olaiya, however, added that the people of the state should not hesitate to inform the police command any suspicious movement around them to the nearest police stations in the state.

He therefore, said that the command would do everything possible to ensure a hitch free Christmas and New Year celebrations in the state.