Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have reportedly abducted Dr Ayodele Adetayo Ajayi, the former Provost of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said that the police and other security operatives had swung into action.

It was gathered that the former provost was abducted alongside his wife and driver on Tuesday evening at Ikija village, Olodo axis of the Abeokuta-Ibadan road in Odeda Local Government Area of the state.

While Ajayi’s wife was later released by the abductors, he and his driver were taken away.

A resident of the area who spoke to Channels Television on condition of anonymity said the gunmen came out of the bush to attack Ajayi and other motorists along the road.

He added that the gunmen who shot indiscriminately into the air blocked the road and whisked the victims away.

The source, who lamented the increasing rate of abduction at the Olodo axis of the Abeokuta-Ibadan road, alleged that no fewer than five persons had been kidnapped in the last week in the area.

“Just yesterday, the gunmen abducted five persons, but two out of them were later released,” the source said.

“Also, last month, three people were killed. Among those who were killed was a popular businessman who operated a big farm along the axis.

“The Olu of Odeda in Odeda town, Oba David Olorunisola was almost kidnapped this week while his driver was shot and is still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Idiaba, Abeokuta.

“We need help, this is getting too much. Our people are no longer safe, we need the government’s intervention and security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities.

“We don’t know the identity of the man yet, we cannot say whether he was a former provost or not. But we can confirm that someone was kidnapped.

“We learnt that the victim and his wife were coming from a function. I think the wife of the man has a school and they were just returning from an event in the school when the gunmen struck.

“The gunmen took a lot of people initially, but they later released them and took the man, his wife and the driver.

“But police and other security operatives mounted pressure on the abductors which made them later release other people kidnapped, including the man’s wife, but the man and his driver were taken away.

“The police have recovered the vehicle of the man which was later abandoned by the abductors. We are on the trail of the abductors.” (Channels TV)

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