Sad!! Kidnappers Occupy Ogun Communities As Residents Flee

Residents of Oke-Ata, Soyoye, Ibara Orile, Rounder, and other communities in Ogun State’s Abeokuta North Local Government Area are currently under the siege of kidnappers, according to a new report.

The affected communities in Ogun, including those near the Alamala Army Barracks, appear to have resorted to faith as they sleep and wake in fear of being kidnapped at any time.

While speaking with our correspondent, some of the residents expressed concern that the abductors, many of whom are armed with sophisticated rifles, have become so confident that they no longer fear security agents, killing or maiming those who try to resist them.

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According to Daily Post, abductors are always dressed in military camouflage to disguise and deceive their targets, whom they capture for ransom. Some residents have also begun to relocate from the affected communities to other parts of Abeokuta.

“Some of our people in these communities have started relocating. The tenants are no longer willing to stay. We can’t blame them, why will anybody continue to live in an area where he could be abducted anytime?

“Those of us who are tenants don’t know where to go or what to do. We have called on the police, the Amotekun Corps, the So-Safe Corps, vigilantes and all of them. They have been doing their best though, but it seems they are overwhelmed.

“I’m afraid some landlords may abandon their houses to become tenants outside there,” a homeowner in the area spoke anonymously.

A message circulating on social media read that “The rate at which kidnappers are perpetrating their evil act by kidnapping innocent residents of Oke-Ata, Ibara Orile, Soyoye and environs is increasing every day.

“The kidnappers are now taking it as business to kidnap and collect huge ransoms from their innocent victims who are residents in Oke-Ata, Ibara Orile, Soyoye and environs.

“Meanwhile, families of the kidnapped victim, whom God saved after payment of huge ransom to the kidnappers, said the kidnappers usually put on a military uniform. They are up to 15 in number. It also shows that they operate with AK-47 and AK-49 guns.

“It has also been confirmed that the kidnappers perpetrate those evil acts where there are bushes, which they use as hideouts, escape routes and negotiating places by calling the families of their victims from the bush for ransom before the victims could be released.”

An Oke-Ata resident has urged Baales and Chairmen of all Community Development Associations in all areas where there are bushes to notify owners of abandoned lands and unfinished buildings to come and begin work on their land within one week, urging the local and state governments to take action.

Ogun State police have reacted to the situation by telling Dialy Post through its police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, that the police are not unaware of happenings in Abeokuta North.

“We are not oblivious of what is happening in Abeokuta North and we are working assiduously to arrest the situation. As I am talking to you, some of the kidnappers are in our custody and we are working hard to smash the other gang; you know they operate in gangs.

“We have smashed some of them, while the other gangs are still operating and we are working assiduously to smash those gangs,” Oyeyemi said.

“People will not appreciate what you’re doing until they start seeing results. When we achieve the desired results, many will appreciate what we are doing. It is not everything that we’ll be making public, but when we get to the root of the whole matter, people will appreciate our efforts.”

Amotekun Corps in Ogun also spoke to Daily Post through its commander, David Akinremi, who said the situation is challenging, but not out of control yet.

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Akinremi, a retired Commissioner of Police, told our correspondent that the corps is doing its best to “checkmate the activities of the bad guys. We are working on serious intelligence and we are taking the battle to their doorstep,” Akinremi assured.

“The places are just developing, houses are within bushes and distanced from one another. The roads are also not accessible. If you see one house, you will go 200, 300 or 500 metres before you see another one. Even when they are in crisis, there will be little or no response from their neighbours who will alert security agents.

“We are working with other security agents and we have written to the people to be more alert and security conscious. It is not possible for security agents to be everywhere. We are working on intel and very soon, we’ll get at them,” he said.