85-year-old Farmer Kidnappers Abduct In Ekiti, N40m Demanded As Ransom

Some suspected kidnappers have abducted an 85- year-old farmer, Gabriel Oloro, in the Ikere Ekiti area of Ekiti State.

It was gathered that the kidnappers, who had contacted the family, demanded N40m as ransom.

The victim was said to be driving home with his wife around 9pm last Wednesday when the gang barricaded the road and hijacked his vehicle.

After dropping off the wife by the roadside, the men were reported to have driven the victim into their den and returned to give his wife the car key around 2am on Thursday.

One of the children of the victim, Adedayo, said the incident had left the family in panic, adding that their

mother had become terribly sick as a result of the incident.

He said the octogenarian was sick before he was captured.

He said, “He had gone to his wife’s shop at Ogbon Tuntun, in Ikere Ekiti to take her home. They were going home in his black Toyota Camry, 2004 model,
when a man who was on a motorcycle suddenly alighted and started jogging in front of the car.

“The old man thought the jogger was using the car’s headlights to see the road, so he started driving slowly. As he approached home, he suddenly came across a log of wood that had been used to barricade the road.

“The man jogging suddenly stopped and two others emerged from the bush, armed with guns. They hijacked the vehicle and after driving some distance, they dropped his wife by the roadside and drove him away.

“Around 2am, they returned to the spot where they dropped the woman and gave her the car key. They described where they parked the car and asked her to go and pick it there.”

Adedayo said the kidnappers contacted the family and demanded N40m as ransom, adding that the family begged for mercy and the money was later
reduced to N10m.

He explained that the kidnappers, who sometimes called with unknown numbers, allowed him to talk to his father.

“My father said there were five of them that they kidnapped and four others had been killed. He begged me to find the money and pay the gang so they could spare his life. But I told him he knew we didn’t have money and he should have explained that to the kidnappers. He said he did, but they never believed him.

“When the kidnappers called me this morning (Tuesday)and I said we didn’t have their money, they said I did not love my father. Where do we get the
money from? He is only a peasant farmer and does not have any money,” he added.

It was learnt that the case had been reported at the Ekiti Police Command Headquaters and the police were working on the rescue of the victim.

Some community leaders were also said to be working on the case.

Another family member and a former Lagos council boss, Olumuyiwa Oloro, said he had developed high blood pressure, adding that he was only recently discharged from the hospital.

He said, “When they broke the news to me, I immediately developed high BP. I don’t know why a person of my father’s age should be kidnapped.

“I may be the immediate past chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area, but I am no more
in government and there is no money anywhere. The economy of the country is not good.”

The Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said, “The police have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. The victim will be rescued soon.”