Bandits abduct 4 passengers on Igbeti-Kishi Road

By Oluseye Ojo

Suspected bandits have attacked some vehicles travelling along a major Igbeti-Kishi route linking parts of Oyo State and Kwara State.

Though Oyo State Police Command confirmed that four persons were.abducted, unverified accounts mentioned eight. The gunmen reportedly intercepted the vehicles plying the route and whisked away the passengers into nearby forests on Wednesday night.

A commercial driver, whose colleague was among those affected told reporters that the attackers stopped multiple vehicles and abducted passengers during the operation.

According to him, about eight passengers were initially believed to have been taken by the armed men from three different vehicles travelling along the route.

Two additional sources familiar with the incident also confirmed the attack. One resident said the presence of security aircraft hovering over Kishi on Thursday morning was unusual and had heightened anxiety among residents.

She said, “We saw security aircraft flying over the town very early this morning, which is not a common sight here. People are worried because of the attack that happened during the night.”

Local sources further disclosed that members of community vigilante groups had been mobilised and dispatched into surrounding forests to assist in search-and-rescue operations aimed at locating the victims.

Kishi, a border town in the far northern part of Oyo State and the administrative headquarters of Irepo Local Government Area, has since been gripped by tension following the incident.

However, the Oyo State Police Command confirmed the attack but stated that four persons had been officially verified as abducted.

Oyo State  Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ayanlade Olayinka, said the victims were kidnapped along the Igbeti–Kishi Road.

He disclosed that upon receiving information about the attack, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Femi Haruna, ordered an immediate security response

According to him, Divisional Police Officers in Kishi and Igbeti, supported by tactical units, were directed to deploy operational assets to facilitate the safe rescue of the victims and ensure the arrest of those responsible.

He added that coordinated search-and-rescue operations were already underway, with security personnel combing surrounding areas, while intensifying intelligence gathering to track down the suspects.

Olayinka assured residents that the command remained committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.

He also urged members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could assist ongoing operations.