Gunmen believed to be kidnappers stormed the Idowa community in the Odogbolu Local Government area of Ogun State on Monday afternoon and abducted a manager from the Flourishing Poultry Farm.
Tunde Osifowokan, identified as the younger brother of the owner of Flourishing Poultry Farm, was reportedly abducted during the raid.
In addition to Osifowokan’s abduction, the Hausa community in the town reported on Tuesday that Mallam Isiaka Aileru, who had gone to his farm on Monday, was missing and suspected to have been abducted.
According to reports, the gunmen arrived at the farm and began shooting indiscriminately, causing panic among the workers.
They demanded to see the business owner, who was expected to return later that day. However, when none of the workers dared to reveal the owner’s absence, Osifowokan bravely stood up and disclosed that the owner was not present. Upon revealing his identity as the owner’s younger brother, the assailants seized him.
Confirming the incident, Chief Yusuf Olusanya, the Sobaloju of Idowa, spoke with Channels Television on Wednesday.
Chief Olusanya said, “Yes, the incident is true. The hoodlums, according to what I heard came wearing masks and shooting sporadically..they demanded for the owner of the poultry farm but since none of the workers was the owner they kept quiet.
“However, one of them stood up and when the hoodlums asked him to identify himself he said he was the younger brother to the owner of the farm. That was how they went away with him.
“While trying to escape, they shot at one driver in the neck, they riddled his vehicle which he uses in carrying blocks with bullets
“A new twist was added to the incident when the Hausa Community in the town on Tuesday also said that they are looking for one of them, one Mallam Isiaka Aileru.
“He was said to have gone to his farm on Monday but he had since not returned. He has even been traced to his farm and they found the cloth he wore to the farm but he was nowhere to be found.
“The thinking is that this same gang might have been responsible for this missing Mallam Isiaka Aileru. The police at Idowa, Odogbolu and even the Area Commander from Ijebu-Ode have all been here but as we speak we have not heard anything as touching demand for ransom by these abductors.”
The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu who confirmed the abduction of the poultry farm manager said that the police are deploying all its arsenal and intelligence to ensure that the victim regains freedom.
“There was a kidnap but only one person is involved and not two, if they are looking for another person it may not be a kidnap. If the person has not returned home they should give us another 24 hours before they will go and make an official complaint,” he said.