70 YEAR OLD COMMERCIAL BUS DRIVER ABDUCTED IN EKITI

A 70-year old commercial driver in Ikere Ekiti, Mr Julius Ogunsemi and two other persons, were reportedly abducted along Ikere-Igbara Odo Ekiti on Wednesday.

The abductees were said to have been kidnapped by gunmen while driving along that routes around 11 am on that day.

Ogunsemi who was driving a 10-passenger mini bus, fondly called (Akoto) was carrying eight passengers when he was said to have been waylaid on the way by the assailants. A family source revealed to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Friday that three of the occupants of the bus were kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to an unknown destination.

The source, who simply identified himself as Toyin said: “What those who were in the bus told us was that eight of them were in the bus around 11 am. As they drove towards that route, five hefty men emerged from the bush and stopped the bus.

“We were told that they were on a bad portion of the road where driver would have to slow down when these evil doers came out and started asking about the identities of those in the bus.

“After doing the screening, they only abducted three of them and allowed others to go untouched. They drove them in that bus for over five kilometres before they dropped the bus and enterted into the bush and took them in another vehicle”, he stated.

He revealed that the abductors on Thursday contacted the families of those abducted and requested for N5 million ransom.

“They have contacted the families of those abducted. What they demanded was N5 million ransom for the release of the trio.

“They have only called once and they never called since they did that on Thursday. We are still establishing contacts with them but that has
not been successful”.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, said such information has not been reported to the command.

“I don’t think the family has reported this incident to the police, because we are yet to be briefed here at the command.

“But I want to assure that the police will swing into action and ensure their safe return as soon as we have truthful information about the incident”.