• vigilance group rescue one

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Suspected gunmen in army uniforms have reportedly invaded Aseyori community in Alagbado area, Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, abducting three young male children. One of the three abductees was, however, reported to have been rescued by the vigilance group in the area who gave the attackers a hot chase.

It was gathered that the hoodlums, who reportedly shot sporadically into the air, attacked the residence of one man, identified as Lukman Aliyu, a scrap metal dealer.

The incident, which caused pandemonium among residents, saw people running helter skelter for dear lives, while three young boys of the business man were later discovered to have been kidnapped by the attackers.

The father of the boys, who narrated the happening, said that he had just put off the generating set and entered the house to sleep when he heard strange noise by the attackers.

“They threatened to kill me and members of my family. We locked ourselves inside one room, five of us including my wife. But the hoodlums broke into the house and took away the three children. It was dark as there was no public power supply”, he said.

Sources in the area said that members of the vigilance group in the area acted promptly when informed about the development and chased after the kidnappers towards Shao town when one of the three abducted boys was rescued.

Lukman, the father of the abducted children, said that all his three children would have been kidnapped by the hoodlums who were all in army uniforms, but for prompt response of members of the vigilance group in the community.

It was also gathered that the attackers were yet to contact relations of the children to make any demand, while the children were yet to be found.

This is just as members of the community have appealed to the state government and the law enforcement agencies in the state to address what they called growing insecurity, especially in the area, saying that four kidnap cases were recorded in one week.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Okasanmi Ajayi, who confirmed the development, said that efforts were already on to rescue the remaining two abducted children.