Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped at least 10 people in the Ahun and Oro-Ago communities in the Ifelodun Local Government Areas of Kwara State.
According to Channels Television, the gunmen struck on Wednesday morning, abducting six in Ahun and another four in the Oro-Ago community.
While the state police command was yet to issue an official statement on the attack, the wife of Clement Emmanuel, one of the victims, confirmed the incident to the station.
She said her husband, a sawmill operator, and Solomon, his apprentice, were seized while cutting trees on the farm in Ahun village.
The woman, however, said the kidnappers have contacted the family, demanding N10 million ransom for two of the victims.
“Please oga reporter, help plead with them to release my husband, sir. Where will I get the N10 million they asked for?” she was quoted as asking.
The report quoted sources as saying Adewole and Adebayo, two other victims, were abducted while they were about to start burning felled trees to produce charcoal.
Adekimi Ojo, commissioner of police for the state, reportedly said he had yet to be officially briefed on the matter.
The police commissioner said his men had carried out a coordinated joint intelligence-led operation in Oro-Ago, following intercepted communications revealing plans by a suspected kidnapping syndicate to infiltrate the area to service and refit motorcycles intended for criminal operations.
“The operation resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects, including a mechanic and a logistics operative allegedly supplying fuel and other operational support to the syndicate,” he said.
“Ten Bajaj Boxer motorcycles reasonably suspected to be operational assets for kidnapping and banditry activities were recovered as exhibits,” he said.
When contacted, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, police spokesperson in Kwara, said she was not aware of the attack and would need to verify the information.
She promised to get back to our correspondent after making inquiries but did not get back as of the time of filing this report.
