Date: 2023-09-19

Suspected gunmen on Monday evening reportedly kidnapped a 60-year-old farmer, Mr Kayode Ajayi, along his farm located at Laduba village in the Asa local government area of Kwara State.

However, it was gathered that men of the anti-kidnap unit of the state police command have been deployed to the village, while local hunters and vigilantes are complementing the efforts to rescue the victim.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Ajayi was abducted on Monday evening while returning from his farm by the gunmen, together with his daughter.

It was later learnt that the daughter had been rescued.

Sources close to the family of the victim told journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday that, “Mr Kayode Ajayi and his daughter were returning from their farm at Laduba around 7.00 pm when they were kidnapped by the unknown gunmen.

“When the duo were kidnapped by the gunmen, they were later moved far away from the farm but the daughter was later let off the hook, while the father was taken away by the gunmen.

“The daughter of Mr Ajayi later called his mother to inform her that her father had been kidnapped and taken away by the gunmen.

“It was at this point that the wife of Mr Ajayi raised the alarm over the kidnap of her husband which led the people and well-wishers to know and later inform the security agencies especially police command towards rescuing the victim”.

“I want to tell you that, we have been calling his number since Monday but repeatedly saying not available. We have resorted to prayers and hope that Mr. Ajayi will be rescued”.

Speaking on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara Command, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, confirmed the development saying that, “The daughter of the victim has been rescued”.

He, however, said that “Efforts are rigorously in progress to get Mr Kayode Ajayi rescued.”

“We have deployed our anti-kidnap unit of the State Police Command in search of Mr Kayode Ajayi and by God’s grace, he will be rescued in due course”.