CRIN Kidnap: Abductors Demand N120m Ransom For 3 Victims In Oyo

The abductors of three people, including two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State, have demanded N120 million as ransom.

The kidnappers were said to have established contact with the victims’ families to demand payment for their release.

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed that security operatives had launched a tactical manhunt and rescue operation in surrounding forest areas to locate the victims and apprehend the abductors.

Meanwhile, workers and members of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) at CRIN have protested the abduction, calling for urgent intervention to secure the victims’ release.

The protesters blocked a section of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road to express their grievances over the incident and demand immediate action.

The abduction reportedly occurred during working hours on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the institute’s premises in Idi-Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The victims were identified as Mrs Eunice Babaloka, head of CRIN’s Central Nursery; Mr Kehinde Gbalajobi, an Agricultural Superintendent; and a third person who resides at the institute’s senior staff quarters.