By Desire Emmanuel
The Oyo State Police Command on Wednesday, May 20, confirmed the abduction of two members of staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Idi Ayunre, Ibadan, by a gang of kidnappers.
The command however said contrary to reports on the social media, there was no ‘mass abduction’ in the Abanla area of the city on Wednesday.
The command disclosed these in a statement on Wednesday evening following the abduction of the workers by six armed men.
According to it, on Tuesday, May 19 around 6:00 p.m., a distress report was received at Idi-Ayunre Divisional Headquarters from the Chief Security Officer of the CRIN regarding the abduction of two staff members of the institution by armed men who invaded the premises of the institute and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
The command said upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, during which preliminary findings revealed that about six armed men invaded the area before whisking the victims away.
In view of the gravity of the incident and the need for swift intervention, the Commissioner of Police in the state directed the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence assets, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to the scene.
Consequently, intensive bush combing and coordinated search operations commenced across the surrounding areas linked to the incident.
It was during one of such operations on May 20 around 8:20 a.m. that the operatives encountered and accosted two individuals identified simply as Shehu and Abubakar.
Upon preliminary interrogation, the duo volunteered to lead the operatives to the hideout of their accomplices.
However, while approaching the location, the team came under attack from armed men and the operatives repelled the attack. While others escaped, the operatives extracted the two suspects, who are currently in custody of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation.
The command added that while these operations are ongoing, it observed the circulation misleading reports alleging another mass abduction in Abanla community and other parts of Ibadan.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Oyo State Police Command categorically states that no such incident has been reported anywhere within Ibadan metropolis or its environs apart from the already reported CRIN incident presently receiving operational attention,” the command said in a statement on Wednesday.
