Gunmen have abducted a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Prince Bamgboye Adegoroye and four others.

It was gathered that Adegoroye, who is one of the top echelons of the Southwest Agenda for Tinubu (SWAGA) in Ekiti, was kidnapped with one other person in his car along Isan-Iludun road on Monday evening.

Revealing this to journalists in Ado Ekiti, Chairman, Ifesowapo Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode 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,” he added.

The Chairman of Ero Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), Mr. Akin Alebiosu, said three charcoal burners were also kidnapped at Ikun- Ekiti around 6.30pm 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 happened.

Alebiosu and Akerele appealed to 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 was working with other security agencies to rescue the victims.

Akomolafe said the Moba , Ilejemeje and Oye Local Governments axis of Ekiti is becoming a safe haven for abductors because the councils share 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 gave them information about our movement. But whatever happens, we are mapping out strategies to checkmate their activities in the areas,” he stated.

(The Nation)

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