Fear has gripped residents of Parubber Community in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State after suspected gunmen abducted two farmers and reportedly demanded N100 million for their release.
The victims were said to have been kidnapped on Monday while working on their farms before they were taken into a nearby forest by their abductors.
A family source disclosed that the kidnappers have since contacted the relatives of one of the victims, demanding a ransom of N100 million.
One of the survivors, Pastor Yemi Omowale, who narrowly escaped the attack, confirmed that the incident had been reported to both the Nigeria Police Force and the Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun).
Omowale, who owns a piggery farm in Parubber Community along the Ondo-Ife Road, said the attack occurred shortly after noon while they were feeding animals on the farm.
According to him, a masked gunman carrying an AK-47 rifle suddenly emerged and approached one of the victims before the attackers struck.
He explained that they were working in different locations on the farm when the armed men invaded.
Omowale also revealed that the kidnappers have repeatedly contacted the wife of one of the victims to demand payment for their release.
“They have been calling the victim’s wife to ask how much she has been able to raise. We are appealing to the security agencies and the government to help rescue our brother and sister unharmed,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the Oke-Igbo Divisional Headquarters received a report that the victims had gone missing.
He disclosed that a joint security operation involving the Police, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilantes has been launched to rescue the victims.
According to Abayomi, security operatives are deploying both intelligence and operational resources to track down the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of the victims.
He assured residents that efforts are being intensified to rescue the abducted farmers unharmed and bring those responsible to justice.
The police spokesperson also urged members of the public to remain calm and provide any useful information that could assist the ongoing rescue operation through the nearest police station.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and ensuring that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted.
