A hotelier, Mr Olukunle Oyedokun, also known as Agbo; seven of his family members including his wife and three children and a hotel guest have been abducted by gunmen at Ajaawa, Oyo State.

Aside Oyedokun, his wife, Busayo Oyedokun, and the baby she’s nursing; his brother’s wife, Julianah Oyedokun, and her 10-year-old son, John; Oyedokun’s first child, Omoriyeba, and her daughter, six-year-old Adesewa; another Oyedokun’s child belonging to the older wife, Oluwajuwonlo; in addition to the guest were also kidnapped.

The incident occurred on Saturday at about 10 p.m. at Agbo Hotel, owned by the abducted hotelier, behind CAC Primary School, Lagbedu Road.

It was learnt that the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, shot sporadically into the air before abducting the victims to an unknown destination through the bush.

Two of the people in the hotel however succeeded in escaping from being captured by the kidnappers.

Tribune Online learnt that the hotelier was preparing for his father’s burial before the abductors struck.

His married daughters and brother’s wife were also said to be in town for the burial ceremony.

It was further learnt that the kidnappers called the family members on Sunday, asking for N15 million as ransom.

The demanded ransom was eventually negotiated to N2.5 million, which a source said was still being looked for in order to secure freedom for the victims.

It was also gathered that a police patrol team, which came to the scene on hearing about the gunshots, swiftly got some police operatives, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilante group members to start combing the bush, in a hunt for the kidnappers and a bid to rescue the victims.

There had been fear and concern in the environs where the abduction occurred, as the residents said that such a thing had never been experienced in their vicinity.

As of the time of this report, efforts to speak with the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adewale Osifeso, proved abortive, as his line did not connect. (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news