The police in Oyo State have rescued a kidnap victim in Igbo Ora but lost a vigilante leader during cross-fire with the criminals during the rescue operation.
The death of Tajudeen Ayanwale, the vigilante leader, has thrown the entire community into deep mourning even as the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, represented by the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr Shina Olukolu, and some top officials of the State Police Command, condoled with bereaved family.
The IGP urged the community not to despair but continue to collaborate with the police and other security agents to curb the activities of career criminals in the state.
The victim, a local cattle herder simply identified as Bakare, was abducted by a gun-toting five-man gang of kidnappers, at about 8p.m. Tuesday, last week, in the suburb of Eruwa in the Ibarapa Local Government Area of the state.
He told Channels Television that his abductors forced him to trek over 42 kilometres inside the forest before they were busted by a combined team of the police and vigilantes.
Although Bakare was rescued, the vigilante leader was killed in the gunfire that ensued between the security agents and the kidnappers. One of the kidnappers was also gunned down.
Bakare narrated his traumatic experience to journalists. The report was monitored on Channels Television.
“I saw a touch flashing at me with some people shouting ‘stop’, he said. “There were five of them. I tried to out-manoeuvre them but they eventually caught up with me.” Bakare told reporters after he regained his freedom.
“As I fell off my bike, they started tying me with rope and marched me through the forest. We nearly got into Ogun State when I heard gunshots.
“It continued for a while until my abductors left me and scampered for safety. I also ran to hide. Then I heard a vehicle arrive and picked up someone then left.
“Shortly afterwards, the vehicle returned with many motorcycles; then I cried out that I was the man abducted. They asked if I was hurt but I said I was fine but one of my kidnappers was hit.
“We searched for a long time but couldn’t find him until the next morning when we saw his body. They also told me that the kidnappers shot one of the vigilantes who came to rescue me.”
