Gunmen abduct two farmers in Ondo, demand N10m ransom

Suspected gunmen have abducted two farmers in Ifira, an agrarian community in Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The victims were reportedly ambushed while heading to their farms and taken into a nearby forest.

A relative of one of the victims said the incident had been reported to the police and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun.

The relative added that the abductors had contacted the victims’ families and demanded N10 million for their release.

The family member appealed to security agencies and the state government to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.

“We have reported the incident to the police and the Amotekun Corps in our area. We are appealing to the security agencies and the government to help us rescue our brothers unharmed,” the relative said.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the command had received a report of missing persons at the Isua Akoko Divisional Headquarters.

Abayomi said a joint security team comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Amotekun Corps, local hunters, Agbekoya operatives and community volunteers had been deployed to the Oke-Ifira/Idogun forest axis to locate 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,” he said.

The police spokesperson, however, said the command was not aware of any ransom demand in connection with the incident.

“The command wishes to categorically state that it is not aware of any ransom demand in connection with this incident,” he added.

Abayomi urged members of the public with credible information that could assist the rescue operation to contact the security agencies, assuring them that such information would be treated confidentially.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to securing the safe release of the victims and arresting those responsible for the abduction.

He also urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and continue to provide security agencies with timely and credible information.