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Gunmen release eight kidnapped victims in Ekiti
Modupe Shodeinde
Eight kidnapped victims have regained freedom in Ekiti after payment of ransom by their relatives.
The freed victims include the wife and daughter of a man who was shot dead in his car by kidnappers along Ayetoro – Ewu Ekiti Road on Friday.
The six others are a pastor, his wife and four other women who were abducted on Saturday morning allegedly at Otun Ekiti in the Moba Council Area on their way to Offa and Ilorin areas of Kwara State.
They were released at a forest at Ikun Ekiti in the Moba Council Area of Ekiti State.
According to a source, four abductees whose relatives had not paid their ransom were still in the kidnappers’ den.
It was also disclosed that the pastor and his wife had gone to rejoin their families, while the remaining six were receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in Ekiti State.
The two guests were kidnapped when four members of a family, who had come from Lagos to attend a social event at Ewu Ekiti, were traveling along the Ayetoro-Ewu Ekiti Road in a Lexus SUV and were attacked by gunmen.
The gunmen killed a man in the vehicle, abducted his wife and daughter while the other occupants escaped.
The Punch quoted a source who said he was part of the team that took ransom to the forest. He “The kidnappers are young Fulani men dressed in black pullover and black fez cap. They are armed with AK47. One of them even threatened saying “if you move further, I will waste you”.
“The four of them that I saw are below the age of 30, pointing their guns at us. They did not count the money, they only asked me to confirm that it was complete. We dropped the money at about 2pm, but they released the two guests alongside six others at about 8pm,” he said.
The gunmen had shortly after the kidnap of the man’s wife and daughter on Friday contacted the family and demanded N50million ransom.
The release of the eight victims was confirmed by the the Police Public relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, who said “Yes, they have been released. All those kidnapped around that time have been released.”
Abutu, who said he was not aware of any ransom paid, said, “It was the combined efforts of the police and Amotekun Corps who combed the bush and put the people under pressure which culminated in their release.”
