A chieftain of South West Agenda(SWAGA), a group promoting Tinubu 2023 presidential ambition in Ekiti State, Prince Bamgboye Adegoroye, and four other persons have been abducted by gunmen.
Adegoroye was a former Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Goverment Area in the state.
The Chairman, Ifesowapo Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs) of Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode Akerele, who disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday, said Adegoroye and one other in his vehicle, were kidnapped along Isan-Iludun road on Monday evening.
Akerele said they were abducted and taken to an unknown destination around 7.30pm after being seized along that route.
“We learnt that the former local government Chairman and one other occupant of his car were driving along that route when his car was shot suddenly by gunmen who hid inside the bush.
“They had to stop because the gunshot hit their car and it was at that spot that they were abducted and we have not heard whether the family had been contacted”.
The Chairman of Ero Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), Mr. Akin Alebiosu, said another abduction happened at Ikun- Ekiti, where three charcoal burners, were also kidnapped around 6:30 in the evening of the same day.
Alebiosu revealed that the leader of the Charcoal burners identified as Olu, who is an indigene of Ikun-Ekiti and other victims were at the Ero River basin for their business when the incident happended.
Alebiosu and Akerele appealed to the Police Commissioner, Ekiti Command, Mr. Babatunde Mobayo, to beef up security along Ayede-Isan-Iludun- Ikun axis that is gradually becoming a safe haven for criminals in recent time.
When contacted, the Commandant of Amotekun Corps in Ekiti, Brig. Gen Joe Akomolafe, said the outfit is working with other security agencies to rescue the victims.
Akomolafe said the Moba, Ilejemeje and Oye Local Governments axes of Ekiti are becoming a safe haven for abductors , because the councils are where Ekiti has borders with Kwara and Kogi States.
“My men and other security agencies are inside the forests working hard to rescue the victims. We are after them and we won’t rest until they are freed.
“That axis seems to be unsafe because of our boundaries with Kogi and Kwara States,so immediately the kidnappers grab their victims, within 15 minutes, they would have driven them out of Ekiti and to a terrain that is hilly and difficult to navigate.
“Another crisis we are facing is the fact that the kidnappers have informants among the locals, who give them information about our movements. But whatever happens, we are mapping out strategies to checkmate their activities in the areas”.
[TheSun]
