Gunmen abduct four farmers in Ekiti, ‘demand N50m ransom’

Gunmen have abducted four farmers in Ikosu-Ekiti, Moba LGA of Ekiti state.

According to a resident, who preferred not to be named, the gunmen, numbering about 10, were said to have invaded the farm around 6pm on Monday.

The farmers were, thereafter, said to have been taken to the forest.

“The kidnappers came around six in the evening on Monday to kidnap the four people. You know the place is a farm settlement and that is why you can still see people on the farm around that time in the evening,” the source told journalists.

“They shot sporadically before they took the four farmers away into the bush.”

The source added that the abductors called on Tuesday to demand N50 million as ransom.

“Yes, they called the farm settlement this morning (Tuesday) that they must give them N50 million if we are to see our people back. We are in a serious situation now,” the source said.

Sunday Abutu, the state police command spokesman, confirmed the incident.

Abutu said the command had deployed its men to the community up till the Kwara border to thoroughly comb the forest for the victims.

The police spokesman, however, denied knowledge of the N50 million being requested by the abductors from the abductees’ families.

This incident comes days after Benjamin Oso, traditional ruler of Eda-Ile in Ekiti east LGA, was abducted while returning from his farm.

He was said to have been released after the family paid N2 million to his abductors as ransom.