Panic in Ekiti Community as Gunmen Kidnap Trader, Machete Farmer

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Panic gripped the people of Iyemero Ekiti, in Ikole Local government area of Ekiti State, as gun wielding kidnappers invaded the community and abducted a popular trader, Mrs. Nusirat Saliu.

In the process of invasion, which was accompanied with sporadic gunshots, a man known to be a farmer sustained machete wounds in the head during the dastardly operation.

The kidnappers grabbed Saliu and forcefully dragged her into the nearby forest that led to Kwara and Kogi borders.

An eyewitness told newsmen on Sunday that the abduction happened around 8p.m. on Saturday.
He said the abductors who brandished AK 47 rifles, had had a pleasurable time at a section of the town and pretended to be buyers, who came on friendly visit before they struck and took Saliu to an unknown destination.

“They were at a section of the town pretending to be buyers and used the opportunity to study the woman’s movements in and out of her shop. They waited till nightfall and suddenly, we heard gunshots that lasted for about five minutes, with this, we knew something was wrong.

“They followed the woman into her shop, grabbed and dragged her into the forest as they shot indiscriminately.
“As they were doing this, a farmer who was at the shop then and made efforts to struggle with them was shot.

But when they realised the pellets couldn’t penetrate the man, they drew out a sharp cutlass and inflicted a deep cut on his head. He is presently at the hospital.” The source said the police, local hunters, Amotekun Corps and vigillantee group have combed the sprawling forest that bordered two neighbouring states without success.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said the command is yet to be briefed about the incident.

However, an eyewitness revealed that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ikole Council Area visited the community around 7.12 a.m. on Sunday and promised to recover the woman and also apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous crime.