Inside Nigeria
In Osun, Suspected Fulani Herdsmen Abduct Passengers in Commercial Bus
A passenger bus has been hijacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Osun State.
The gunmen abducted the passengers (yet-to-be identified) at Odo-Osun, near Imesi-Ile in the Obokun Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the commercial vehicle from Ekiti was going toward Ikirun through Ila Road when the gunmen attacked it at Odo-Osun and took the passengers to a nearby bush.
A security source said the gunmen shot into the air to force the passenger bus to a stop.
The source said: “One person hinted the security about the Odo-Osun abduction and when we are on the search for the victims, we realised they had abducted some passengers from another two vehicles. The hostages were taken to the Ipanda village.
“They have reached out to demand a ransom. Those who did it were speaking Fulfulde while the person negotiating the ransom spoke in Yoruba.”
Another source said volunteers of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, a group of hunters and the police were already combing the bush to secure the release of the travellers.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at the Imesi Police Station was in the search party.
The Director-General of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, said volunteers of the socio-cultural group were on the trail of the abductors and their victims.