Gunmen Kidnap 4 Drivers, Demand N20m Ransom In Kwara

Gunmen have kidnapped four tipper lorry drivers at a farm in the outskirts of Ilorin, Kwara State.

A source confided in LEADERSHIP that the suspected kidnappers have contacted the victims’ families and placed a ransom of N5 million on each of the four drivers.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the four drivers  were abducted by some gunmen  who dressed in military uniform in a site where they went to collect sand which they wanted to supply to their customers last Saturday.

It was further gathered that the victims were members of the Oyun Garage branch of the Association of Quarry and Sand Dealers, Ilorin.

The source added that some women who claimed to be wives of the drivers, on Wednesday in the Oyun area of Ilorin were seen soliciting for alms from commuters and passersby to raise money to meet the N20 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

He said one of the women identified as Aishat said that they took to begging to raise money to meet the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

“She appealed to philanthropists and public spirited people in the society to come to their aid so that their husbands would be free from the den of the kidnappers,” the source added.

The spokesman of the state police command, Okasanmi Ajayi who confirmed the incident said that the command was on top of the situation.

He said that the victims have not been rescued as at Wednesday, adding that the police in conjunction with other security outfits including vigilante and local hunters have been dispatched to all the forest in the state.

Okasanmi said, “the kidnapping incident was true, four tipper lorry drivers were kidnapped. Police in collaboration with other security agencies, Vigilante men and hunters have been dispatched to scout all the forest in the state but we are yet to sight any of the drivers. Our search still continues in the bush and I know that we will succeed. We are going to rescue them.

“My appeal to members of the public is that they should continue to give us information which will make us succeed in our assignment”.