KWARA: Gunmen abduct two three farm managers, demand N45m

IN what appeared  to be  coordinated operations by a kidnapping “syndicate”, gunmen invaded two different farms in the state and whisked away their managers.

The gunmen, who were said to be six in number, were in military uniform and arrived on the farm in a Toyota Hilux van.

They reportedly got to their first place of operation about 4.pm.

The two farms invaded are  situated at Pampo community in Asa Local Government Area of the Kwara State.

The farms are in Eyenkirin area of the Local   Government.

In order to have a smooth operation, the suspected kidnappers reportedly  got hold of the chief security officer in the first farm and locked him inside one room, before they took away the two farm workers in the first poultry farm.

The owner of the second farm, called Mirola farm, said that the bandits also abducted his farm manager when they visited the farm on their way out of the community.

The farm owner, who said that the suspected kidnappers had contacted the farm owners, added that they demanded a total sum of N45 million for the three people abducted, which he said is N15 million ransom for each person.

The abductees were said to be veterinary doctors.

He said the people kidnapped were two male and a female, adding that the bandits spoke like Fulani, “in the way they spoke in Yoruba language when we talked on phone.

He said, “On Monday at about 4:30pm six suspected kidnappers in Army uniform heavily armed with AK-47 rifles, abducted three farm managers in our farms. They took two farm managers and on their way out of the first farm, they branched to my farm to take my own farm manager too, making three people kidnapped. Two male and one female”.

He said the matter had been reported to the police, adding that the Police Intelligence had even discovered that the suspected kidnappers were still around a location in Lasoju community, in the local government area of the state.

“We have been contacted by them. They demanded N15 million each for the kidnapped people, making a sum of N45 million. We begged them to take N1 million for the three people, explaining that we’re poor farmers. They said we should go and get good money before the release of our people”.

The  Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state Police command, Ajayi Okasanmi has since confirmed the incident.

He said that the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bagega, has drafted officers and men of the command to the site of the incident to get the captives released.