An unspecified number of travellers have been abducted by gunmen at Omo-Ijesa, in the Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, south-west region of Nigeria.

It was learnt that the travellers were kidnapped on Sunday evening, January 17, 2021, while returning from a trip outside the State.

One of the abductees who escaped from the kidnappers reported the incident at Ijebu-jesa police station.

Confirming the incident, Amotekun Corps Commandant in the State, General Bashir Adewunmi rtd, said there was an incident of abduction at Omo-Ijesa and the corps had deployed some men to rescue the victims. 

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“It is true that some people were abducted at Omo-Ijesa, we have yet to get their number yet, but we have deployed our personnel to the scene for a search and rescue mission,” he said. 

The Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress in the state, Prince Deji Aladesawe, also confirmed the incident, adding that the group had also deployed members to the scene to assist security agencies to comb the forests in the community. 

Similarly, the state police command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident adding that the police had deployed men to the scene to rescue the abductees. 

“We got information of the abduction of some people at Omo-Ijesa late on Sunday and the police have been on the trail of the kidnappers. 

“As I am speaking with you, the police have also deployed policemen and men from its Anti-Kidnapping Units to rescue the abductees and arrest the kidnappers,” she said.

Series of criminal activities involving killings and abductions have been reported in the South West lately.

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Earlier in December 2020, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) claimed that Boko Haram Insurgents who fled military onslaught in the North-East are responsible for kidnappings in the South-West region.

Unknown gunmen on January 5, 2020 abducted a couple while travelling with their three children at Uso community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, but was rescued by the security operatives after 3 days in captivity.

Two suspects were arrested by the security team while the assailants contacted the family, demanding N10m ransom.

Similarly on January 7, a man was abducted and his driver was killed by gunmen while traveling on the Ise/Isua Akoko Road in Ondo State.

In Ekiti State, a police officer was shot dead while a Chinese National was abducted on November 27, 2020, but was released after spending five days in captivity.

In a similar incident, on September 15, 2020, one person was killed and two others were kidnapped, including a retired United States Army officer, Major Jide Ijadare along Ijan Ekiti-Ise Ekiti Road, in the Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Jide Ijadare was released after four days in the kidnappers' den.

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