Two farmers have been kidnapped by suspected gunmen in Ifira, a farming community in the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to sources, the attackers ambushed the victims as they headed to their farm and dragged them into a nearby forest.
A relative of one of the victims said the matter had been reported to the police and to the Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun. The source added that the abductors had since contacted the families and were demanding N10 million for the victims’ release.
Appealing for swift help, one of the relatives said: “We’ve reported the incident to the police and the Amotekun Corps in our area. We’re begging the security agencies and the government to help us rescue our brothers unharmed.”
Responding, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, confirmed that a report of missing persons had been lodged at the Isua Akoko Divisional Headquarters.
He said a joint security team made up of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, Agbekoya operatives and community volunteers had been deployed to the Oke-Ifira/Idogun forest axis in search of the victims.
“Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing, with all available operational and intelligence resources being deployed to locate the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Abayomi said. He, however, said the command was not aware of any ransom demand, adding: “The Command wishes to categorically state that it is not aware of any ransom demand in connection with this incident.”
The police spokesperson urged members of the public with useful information to support the rescue effort, promising that any details provided would be handled confidentially, and appealed to residents to stay calm and vigilant.
Source: Vanguard.
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