Suspected bandits have abducted at least 10 residents in separate attacks on Ahun and Oro-Ago communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday morning when armed men invaded the rural communities, seizing six people in Ahun and four others in Oro-Ago. Residents said the attackers targeted people working on farms and in forested areas around the villages.
One of the victims’ relatives, the wife of Clement Emmanuel, confirmed the abduction while speaking to Channels Television. She explained that her husband, who works as a sawmill operator, was taken alongside his apprentice, Solomon, while they were cutting trees at a farm in Ahun village.
According to her, the kidnappers have already contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N10 million for the release of the two victims.
“Please oga reporter, help plead with them to release my husband, sir. Where will I get the N10 million they asked for?” she said.
Sources in the community also revealed that two other victims, Adewole and Adebayo, were captured while preparing to burn felled trees to produce charcoal in the area. Residents said the attacks have heightened fear among farmers and workers who depend on the forests and farmlands for their livelihoods.
The development comes amid growing concerns about the spread of banditry and kidnapping activities from the north-west into parts of north-central Nigeria, including rural communities in Kwara State.
