A woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was reportedly shot dead in Kwara state on Saturday during exchange of gun fire in a rescue operation between the bandits and combined team of Soldiers and hunters.
The woman identified as Mrs Olumo Abolaji, APC Women Leader in Koro ward of Ekiti local government was one of the 8 people kidnapped on Wednesday evening between Araromi Opin and Obbo-Ile in Ekiti local government area of the state.
The politicians who were all from Ekiti local government area of Kwara state were returning home when the gunmen suspected to be bandits waylaid them on the way after the swearing in of the state executive of the party performed by the state governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at the Banquet Hall opposite the Government House Ilorin.
It was gathered that five of the eight people involved had escaped from the kidnappers.
According to Mr Adekunle Oluwole, a relative to one of the victims who said that five of the eight people involved escaped from the kidnappers listed those involved, as the Isapa Ward Chairman in Ekiti local government area of the state, Mr Daniel Adewuyi; the Eruku ward Chairman; Women Leader Eruku; Women Leader Obbo Ile; Chairman Obbo Ile Ward; Women Leader Koro ward; and Women Leader Isapa ward, among others.
He, however, said that the women leaders of Eruku ward, Obbo-Ile ward and Koro ward were taken away into the forest by the kidnappers.
He said that some of the victims who escaped from the bandits were taken to the hospital in the area for treatment.
He added that some politicians from the area including Mr Ganiyu Abolarin, an elected member of the Kwara state House of Assembly representing Ekiti local government state Constituency and Mr Wale Awelewa, Chairman of APC in Ekiti local government were in the hospital to wish them quick recovery.
Oluwole also hinted that four Hilux Vans loaded with Soldiers, local hunters and Vigilante men were drafted to the forest to trail the kidnappers and rescued the victims.
The chairman of APC in the state, Prince Sunday Fagbemi said that two of the three victims were rescued alive.
‘Two of our party women leaders in Eruku ward and Obbo-Ile ward were rescued alive, but unfortunately we lost one of them because the woman leader of Koro ward was killed by the bandits,” he said.
Confirming the report, a statement by Police Public Relations Officer, Okasanmi Ajayi, said on 16/3/2022 at about 1920 hrs, information about the blocking of Obbo-ile /Osi road by unknown gun men led to the kidnap of eight persons including a man and seven women,all pessengers of two commercial vehicles, coming from Ilorin to Eruku, Isapa and Obbo Ile respectively. The victims were mostly politicians coming from a program in Ilorin.
“The commissioner of police Kwara State, CP Tuesday Assayomo quickly drafted a detachment of police men and vigilante to the scene and the kidnappers were given a hot chase, which led to the kidnappers abandoning a woman by name, Zainab Abu of Saki town in Oyo State and two of her children. One of the attacked vehicles, a Mazda Primacy with Reg. number AFN 504 MG was taken to the Station for safe keeping.
“However, search and rescue operation of the remaining victims continued and on 19/3/2022, in Obbo Ile Isapa forest the kidnappers were sighted and were engaged in exchange of gun fire, in the process, two of the Kidnappers were neutralized while the following victims were rescued.
“Rachael Alabi ‘f’ of Obbo Ile, Yemisi Oni ‘f: of Eruku Azeez Akeem ‘m’ and Olarewaju Muritala both of Ero Omo Offa garage Ilorin were among the victims rescued.
“Unfortunately, one Olomo Sunday ‘f’ of Koro Ekiti and Ganiyu Abdulahi ‘m’ of Offa garage Ilorin Kwara State died in the operation as a result of gun injuries sustained from the kidnappers.
“The corpses of the deceased have been evacuated to the hospital for autopsy.
“Efforts are still ongoing to arrest the remaining kidnappers who escaped with bullet injuries.
While commensurating with the families of the dead victims, police spokesman quoted the commissioner of police as assuring the good people of Kwara State of his determination to ensure that the fleeing suspects are apprehended.
Ajayi added that no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that the people’s safety and security would not be alternated for anything.
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