Three people—two Teachers and a Nurse—who had been kidnapped along the Irele-Oke Ako Road in the Ajoni Local Council Development Area on Monday were released from captivity on Wednesday night after paying ransom.
According to reports, the principal of a nearby secondary school, who was abducted along with the other three victims, reportedly escaped from the kidnappers’ cave on Tuesday after the gunmen slept off.
According to a source, one of the kidnapped teachers who tried to flee the kidnappers in the same way the principal did was recaptured and forced to pay a ransom before being released along with the other two.
After leaving the office, the four people were in the principal’s car when they were ambushed by the gunmen and carried into the forest, leaving the car behind.
After the arrest, a team of security personnel from the army, police, Amotekun Corps, Vigilante, hunters, and members of the LCDA’s Operation Eradicate Bandit at the Borders of Rural Ajoni Communities stepped up to the plate and combed the forests in an effort to free the prisoners and apprehend the offenders.
According to a source in the neighborhood, the efforts paid off on Wednesday when two of the suspects in the kidnapping were detained immediately after releasing the three victims from their cave.
The Chairman of Ajoni LCDA, Michael Ogungbemi, who corroborated the source, said, “The JTF succeeded in apprehending two suspects, who are now undergoing interrogation and investigation by the police. They were nabbed inside the sprawling forest at Irele – Kogi border area.
“When the kidnappers knew that the operation was closing in on them, they quickly released three victims in their den. This further provided a lead for the operation. Part of the ransom collected from the victims was recovered and the released victims are now in the hospital receiving medical treatments,” Ogungbemi said.
Brig. Gen. Joe Komolafe (retired), the Commandant of the Ekiti State Amotekun Corps, who confirmed the arrest, stated that the culprits were in police custody and that the rescued victims had gotten sufficient medical attention at the hospital.
“I can confirm to you that two suspects arrested are being held by the police. Regarding the freed victims, they were initially taken to the hospital, but they have reunited with their respective families,” he stated.
