Kidnappers who abducted three women in the early hours of Sunday in Igbaja, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, have demanded a ransom of N30 million for the release of two of them. The women were reportedly taken by gunmen believed to be itinerant herdsmen. While one of the women managed to escape, the remaining two are suspected to be held in a forest near Igbaja, Oke-Ode, and Babanla.

Speaking to Punch Metro on Thursday, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Femi Yusuf, confirmed that the kidnappers had contacted the families of the two women, demanding the N30 million ransom for their safe release.

Yusuf also stated that efforts are underway, in coordination with state and local authorities, to comb the forest and secure the release of the two women. He assured that both the state government and the local council were actively involved in the rescue operation.

He said, “The information I received from the families of the victims is that the kidnappers are demanding the payment of N30m before they could be released.

“Right now, soldiers, policemen and the vigilantes in the local government area are in the forest searching for the two women and probably the kidnappers.”

Yusuf while lamenting the death of the Jagun of Igbaja land, Chief Lukman Balogun, who led the team of vigilantes who were in the forest in the area in search of the kidnapped victims, said the death of the commander had dealt a great blow on the community.

“We are still mourning the late Jagun who is my uncle in Igbaja. We will do all within our power in conjunction with the state government and security agencies to smoke out the kidnappers who have been terrorising our people.”

The Coordinator of Kwara South Elders Security Forum, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, who said the late Jagun was killed by a bullet during the exchange of fire between the kidnappers and the vigilantes, stated that the Igbaja community youths staged a demonstration because of the death of the chief who was a good person.

The Kwara State Police Command had confirmed the abduction of the three women from the community on Sunday and the killing of Balogun on Monday evening adding that the killing of the community leader led to the protest by the youths.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, who confirmed the abduction to our correspondent on Tuesday said it was the death of Chief Lukman Balogun that made the youth block the roads in Igbaja where they said that no vehicle would pass through the community.

The PPRO said, “One Mohamadu reported at the Igbaja Police Station that three women were kidnapped in the community on Sunday, September 29, 2024. There was a report that the vigilantes went on a rescue operation and a prominent chief of the town was killed during the exchange of fire with the kidnappers. One of the abducted women was said to have escaped leaving two victims who were yet to be rescued.

“The youths however grouped and blocked the road that no vehicle should pass through the town because they said the chief was a good man to them when he was alive.”

Ejire-Adeyemi said normalcy had returned to the area.

She said security men including the police, army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been mobilised to comb the forest to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the kidnappers.