IBADAN— Suspected gunmen who abducted 39 students and seven teachers in Ahoro Esinele community, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are now said to be in touch with the state government for a ransom of an undisclosed amount.
The incident has left teacher Michael Oyedokun reportedly beheaded.
The continued delay in the release of the victims, Vanguard gathered, has led their families to mount pressure on the federal and state governments, just as the Seyi Makinde administration has vowed to deploy resources to get the victims returned alive.
This came as the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the factional Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara and members of the party’s interim National Working Committee, NWC, led by Kabiru Turaki, yesterday, called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture following recent bandit attacks in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Similarly, Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, yesterday disclosed that he is still awaiting approval from the Federal Government to formally commence operations of his security outfit, Iru Ekun Security Network, as part of efforts to flush out criminal elements from forests across the South-West.
The sources disclosed that indirect negotiations are ongoing, adding that the amount demanded by the abductors was being kept as a top secret.
It was further gathered that security agencies have deployed a police helicopter to be on standby in what a source described as “an area of interest”, just as Military jets are said to be making daily sorties over the forests.
Vanguard was made to understand that efforts to secure the release of kidnap victims are being coordinated by the Oyo State Government, Police, Military and Department of State Service, DSS.
Asked whether the kidnappers have mentioned a specific figure, the source said: “The latest on kidnappers is that they have made a demand, but the amount is still being kept under wraps. Indirect negotiations are ongoing.”
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