Ekiti Residents Protest as Kidnappers Abduct Four, Demand N10m Ransom

Victor Ogunje

Irate residents of Ajebamidele area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday stormed the streets in protest over the kidnap of four residents by the suspected gunmen.

The incident, according to the protesters, happened last Tuesday evening, even as the criminals yesterday demanded N10 million ransom from the victims’ families.

The protesters blocked the Ado-Ikere highway during the protest that started at about 7 a.m. yesterday, which triggered serious traffic in the area.

They bore placards which read: ‘Save Us from Kidnappers’; ‘We Are No Longer Safe, Government Come to Our Rescue’; ‘Ajebamidele On Fire, Kidnappers Have Taken Over’; ‘No Movement on the Road Until Government Stops Kidnapping’; ‘Citizens Are No Longer Safe, What is Happening’, among others.

The incident, which took place in Goshen Land community in Ajebamidele, had left residents in shock with economic and social activities paralysed in that area-shops and business centres remained closed yesterday morning.

The protesters disclosed that a couple, whose names were given as Mr. and Mrs. Falomo, and a man said to be a pastor, were among those kidnapped.

Mrs. Falomo was said to have been trailed to her residence by the kidnappers who were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles, while her husband who came out on a rescue mission was also abducted.

The other two victims were said to have been kidnapped as the gunmen were making their way out of the community.

It was gathered that policemen from the Ologede Police Station on Ikere Road arrived at the crime scene shortly after the kidnappers had left.

Also, the Chairman of Goshen Landlords Association, Mr. Samuel Fasua, said the protest was staged to draw the government attention to the incident, “for the authorities to do something urgently to save the beleaguered residents.”

Fasua said: “I was called suddenly when an motorcycle rider, who witnessed the incident, raised the alarm that armed kidnappers were already in the neighborhood, and that was why we called the police to rescue us.

“According to the information we gathered, the kidnappers were many in number wearing masked. Nobody could come out to rescue the victims because of the heavy gunfire that rocked our neighbourhood during the incident.

“Guns were blazing as if we were in a war zone, so that was why we had to call the police to confront those criminals. The matter had already been reported at the police station.”

Another resident, Emmanuel Ayodeji, who disclosed that his sister-in-law was among those kidnapped, said the abductors have called the family to demand a ransom of N10 million.

Ayodeji said: “My sister in-law was among those kidnapped, and they packed to this area about one month ago. We were told on arrival that the kidnappers came to abduct a husband and wife from their home.

“The wife who arrived home in her car, was trailed from outside armed with guns. The husband confronted them but he was overpowered and equally abducted.

“It was this morning that I later got to know that two other persons were kidnapped during the attack, including a pastor and another woman. The kidnappers later called this morning to demand a ransom of N10 million.”