Gunmen disguise as drivers, abduct passengers in Oyo

Former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Asimiyu Alarape, has issued a warning to residents and motorists using the Ibadan-Oyo road to be vigilant following reports of kidnappings on the expressway.

Alarape shared an account from a neighbor who had been released by kidnappers, detailing the harrowing experience.

According to Alarape, the kidnappers, including a bus driver, disguised themselves as passengers on a commercial bus. Once the bus was en route, they forced it to stop midway and, with the help of eight accomplices, robbed passengers of their phones and money. The kidnappers then led the remaining passengers into a nearby forest.

Alarape’s warning underscores the need for heightened awareness and caution among road users in the affected area.

He wrote: “Ibadan to Oyo road is now kidnapper’s den. One of my neighbours who boarded a bus going to Oyo yesterday was stopped in the middle of the road.”

“The kidnappers who disguised as passengers numbering up to eight marched them into the forest.
After they had collected their phones, they released three of them(including my neighbour) and took others into the deep forest. Only God knows their fate inside the kidnapper’s den.”

“Also, the driver of the eighteen-passenger bus was among the kidnapper gang. Let’s create this awareness that Oyo/Ibadan road is not safe again and let our family and friends be informed also.”

While reacting to the kidnap attempt, the National President of Soludero Hunters Association, Oba Nureni Akintola Anabi said this has been their cries that the state government and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun should give the hunters approval to comb the forests.

“You know we have been crying that the Oyo State Government should empower us even if they are not giving us anything to enter the forest. We have been working in the forest for long.”

“But, we want to be careful so that we are not used as guinea pigs at the end of the day. If we go into the forest without their permission, they may query us who sent us there. We are familiar with the terrain and we know what to do”.

“Whenever the authorities give us the go-ahead, we will smoke the bandits out of the forests and hand them over to the law enforcement agents”, he said.