Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Some suspected gunmen at the weekend abducted a farmer, Isaac Agbanigo, in Ikere Ekiti Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Agabnigo was said to have been abducted in the presence of his family members while returning home from his farm at Ajengbede on Ikere-Ise road by 4p.m. at the weekend.
Upon receiving the information, the police were said to have begun investigation into the matter to fast-track the swift rescue of the man from captivity.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sunday Abutu, in a statement issued yesterday said the victim’s wife told the police that she, her husband and their children were about entering their vehicle to return home after finishing their farm work when they were accosted by seven heavily armed masked men.
Abutu said the woman recounted that the kidnappers immediately ordered them to lie face down or risk being shot.
According to Mrs. Agbanigo, “After the suspects asked us series of questions, they escorted me and my children to the main road and took my husband away to an unknown destination.
“My husband’s family members have been in dispute over the same farm with a lot of threats before the incident happened, hence, I suspect that the other side of the family must be behind the abduction of my husband, as the abductors were all speaking Ikere dialect.”
Abutu said the police have commenced a serious manhunt and investigation to unravel the identities and apprehend those behind the abduction of Agbanigo.
“It should be noted that on the said date at about 6.45p.m., information got to Ilupeju-Ikere Divisional Police headquarters in Ikere Ekiti that some unknown armed men abducted a man in his farm.
“Upon receipt of the information, a combined team of police personnel from Ikere Area Command and Ilupeju-Ikere Divisional Police headquarters mobilised to the scene where they met only the wife and the children of the victim.
“Meanwhile, the police command has invited three persons for interrogation for further investigation,” he said.
Abutu added that the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Tunde Mobayo, implored all citizens of the state to remain calm, saying the command would do everything possible to rescue the victim and apprehend those behind the abduction.
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