The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of Chief Samuel Ajayi Bello while working on his farm at Ponyan Agricultural Foundation located at KM 2, Ponyan-Irele Road, Ponyan in Yagba East local government area of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, SP William Aya who confirmed this to our correspondent on Monday, said the incident occurred around 10am on Monday.
Aya said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye has drafted the tactical police critical assets to the area with a view to rescuing the victim and bring the perpetrators to book.
He added that a hunter sustained injury during exchange of gunfire with the kidnappers and had been taken to the hospital for medical attention and responding to treatment.
“Yes, it is confirmed. A farmer, Chief Samuel Ajayi Bello was abducted Monday morning, but the CP has drafted the tactical command to the area while one of the hunters that sustained gunshot wound is receiving treatment and he is responding well to treatment.” he said.
The National President of Ponyan Development Association, Hon. Banjo Fabola, in a statement also confirmed that Ajayi was kidnapped between 9 and 10 am on Monday, June 16.
He narrated that the abductors fired shots before whisking the victim away, adding that security operatives, local hunters and vigilante groups have been mobilised to comb the surrounding forests.
LEADERSHIP recalls that some part of the state have come under heavy attacks by suspected criminals in recent time, abducting vulnerable persons, while some have died in the process.
However the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, recently assured that the government was taking measures to curb escalating rate of criminality in the area and other parts of the state.
He said someone of these criminal elements have already been arrested, saying that it will soon be made public by the security agents.
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