Gunmen Demand N50m Ransom To Secure Release Of Four Ekiti Farmers

Some suspected gunmen have kidnapped four farmers in a farm located in Ekiti, demanding N50 million ransom to secure their release.

The latest incident was coming barely a week after a traditional ruler, Oba Benjamin Osho, the Eleda of Eda Ile, in Ekiti East Local Government Area, was kidnapped, with his captors demanding N20 million ransom.

Sources said the latest victims, the farmers, were kidnapped on Monday evening in Ikosu Farm Settlement in Ikosu-Ekiti, Moba Local Government area.

Commenting, Olawumi Ayodeji, Manager of the farm, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, that the abductors had made calls, demanding N50 million ransom.

Reacting, the state command Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the kidnapping of the four farmers but denied knowledge of the N50 million ransom.

Abutu said the command had deployed policemen to comb the sprawling forest region surrounding Ikosun-Ekiti up to the Kwara border.

“We are not aware of any ransom being demanded from the family, rather, our men are in the bush working hard to rescue the farmers.

“We are working, in conjunction with the Amotekun Corps and local hunters.

“We believe that with the level of security measures we have put in place, we are sure that we will rescue them, and probably get the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” he said.