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From Taiwo Ogunniyi
A newlywed couple, identified as Funmilayo Bamidele and her husband, Reverend Abiodun David, have been abducted by suspected bandits along the Iyemero-Eruku Road linking Kwara and Kogi states.
The couple were reportedly kidnapped alongside four other passengers on Saturday evening while returning from their engagement ceremony in Eruku, Kwara State. The vehicle, according to sources, was initially expected to take the Isanlu Road but the driver reportedly opted for a back route to drop off the best man and other members of the group at Iyamoye in Kogi State.
It was while travelling along the Iyemero-Eruku axis that the vehicle was intercepted by gunmen, who abducted the occupants.
A photograph of the newlywed couple has since emerged following the incident, while details about the identities and whereabouts of the other abducted passengers remain unclear.
Confirming the incident, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said security forces had commenced a joint operation to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Ojo said soldiers were already combing the surrounding bush in an effort to locate the abductors and secure the release of the victims.
He added that the vehicle conveying the victims had been recovered and found parked at an abandoned police station in Ayetoro, Ekiti State.
According to him, police operatives from the affected states are working together on the rescue operation because the incident occurred within the border area linking Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states. The commissioner said, “Soldiers are already in the bush combing the area to fish out the perpetrators and free the couple.
“The police operatives in the three affected states are jointly carrying out rescue operations.”
The latest development has heightened concerns over the security situation along the remote border routes connecting the three states, as security agencies intensify efforts to locate the abducted couple and the other victims.
