Six armed men on Wednesday abducted four cocoa farmers at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria located in the Idi-Ayunre area of Ibadan.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria, some of the victims were visiting the institute for a familiarisation exercise.
One of the farmers who escaped narrated that the attackers emerged from the bush and stopped their vehicle while they were heading to the Nursing Section within the institute.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the incident in a text message sent to NAN in Ibadan on Wednesday.
He disclosed that one of the abducted victims had been rescued, and the victim’s vehicle recovered.
Olayinka added that the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Femi Haruna, had ordered the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and other tactical teams to support the Divisional Police Officer in Idi-Ayunre.
He further stated that security operatives had launched an intensive bush-combing operation, noting that the rescued victim is currently safe and undergoing debriefing.
“Efforts are on to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the perpetrators,” he said.