Gunmen Kidnap Former FCE Provost, Wife, Driver

Suspected gunmen have kidnapped the immediate past Provost of the Federal College of Education, Osile, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Ayodele Ajayi.

It was gathered that Ajayi was reported to have been abducted alongside his wife and driver, around 7:17 pm on Tuesday at Ikija village, Olodo axis of the Abeokuta-Ibadan road in Odeda Local government of Ogun State.

Ajayi’s wife was reported to have been later released by the abductors while he and his driver were reportedly taken away.

A resident of the area who spoke to PUNCH under the condition of anonymity said the gunmen came out of the bush to attack Ajayi and other motorists along the road.

He added that the gunmen who shot sporadically into the air blocked the road and whisked their victims away.

The source, who lamented the increasing rate of abduction at the Olodo axis of the Abeokuta-Ibadan road, alleged that no fewer than five persons have been kidnapped in the last one week in the area.

“Just yesterday, the gunmen abducted five persons, but two out of them were later released.

“Also, last month, three people were killed. Among those who were killed was a popular businessman who operated a big farm along the axis.

“The Olu of Odeda in Odeda town, Oba David Olorunisola was almost kidnapped this week while his driver was shot and he is still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre.

“We need help, this is getting too much. Our people are no longer safe, we need government intervention and security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities.”

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Omolola Odutola said that the police and other security operatives are on the trail of the abductors.

Odutola said, “We don’t know the identity of the man yet. We cannot say whether he was a former provost or not. But we can confirm that someone was kidnapped.

“We learnt that the victim and his wife were coming from a function. I think the wife of the man has a school and they were just returning from an event in the school when the gunmen struck.

“The gunmen took a lot of people initially, but they later released them and took the man, his wife, and the driver.

“But police and other security operatives mounted pressure on the abductors which made them later release other people kidnapped, including the man’s wife, but the man and his driver were taken away.

“The police have recovered the vehicle of the man which was later abandoned by the abductors. We are on the trail of the abductors.”