Two kidnap victims, Oke Olatunji and Femi Ajayi, abducted in Isin Local Government of Kwara state on Thursday, have been rescued.
They were rescued by a combined team of policemen, hunters and vigilantes on the directive of the state Police Commissioner, Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi.
According to reports that on July 13, 2023, four victims Dipe Ajayi, Kunle Abolarin, Femi Abolarin and Femi Ajayi, all of Oke-Arin, Isanlu-Isin were abducted at about 1700hours in Isanlu-Isin.
However, acting on the directive of the state police commissioner, the command’s anti-kidnapping unit stationed within the Isanlu-Isin axis, assisted by hunters and vigilantes, swung into action and gave the abductors a hot chase.
In the process, the kidnappers abandoned the Sienna bus conveying the victims at the time of the incident and one of them, Oke Olatunji was rescued by the team.
According to the spokesman of the state police command, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, in Ilorin on Saturday, “the CP personally led another special tactical team on search and rescue operation into the forest within Isin town and in the process, another victim identified as Femi Ajayi, with bullet injury was rescued.
He was taken to the health center in Isanlu-Isin where he is currently receiving medical attention, the spokesman disclosed.
The CP also visited the traditional ruler of Isanlu-Isin, Oba Olugbenga Oloyede Solomon, and met with hunters, vigilantes and community leaders of the town during which security issues affecting the area in general were discussed and strategies and plans implemented to forestall any further ugly occurrences.
Efforts are being doubled to free the remaining victims in captivity, Okasanmi added.
The command’s spokesman also debunked claims that a thunder strike allegedly killed two suspected kidnappers at Oro-Ago of Kwara South Senatorial District of the state.
He said the thunder struck two herders aged 10 and 12 years.
“The command wishes to confirm that lightning killed two young people, but they were not kidnappers as was erroneously amplified in the viral video.
“To this end, the command wishes to advise the good people of Kwara state to discountenance the story as no such thing happened,” he said.
The command announced that four suspects arrested around Oro-Ago forest have been charged to court.