Gunmen kidnap travellers on Ilorin-Igbeti highway

Social and economic activities between Kwara and Oyo states have been paralysed since Sunday following the invasion of Ilorin-Igbeti highway by gunmen.

Several travellers have fallen victims of the hoodlums who allegedly kidnapped and collected huge ransom from their victims.

News of the invasion first emerged on Wednesday last week, according to a newspaper distribution agent who lamented that he had been forced to use only motorcycle to move his supply from Ilorin to outlying towns since last week. He said three vehicles were waylaid and passengers held hostage by the armed men, adding that female victims were released after being dispossessed of their valuables while a ransom of N5 million was placed on each male captive.

“In the recent past, there have been pockets of armed robbery and kidnapping within Olorunsogo, Irepo and Orelope local councils but this one is on large scale,” he lamented, asking for military and police presence on the route to check the hoodlums.

A source from Igbeti however said the desertion of the route by motorists was mainly due to a security cordon on the area by a combined team of local vigilance operatives and policemen, adding that the effort had already led to the arrest of about 30 of the armed men.

Spokesman for the Kwara state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said the place was now free and people could go about the businesses.