New Telegraph

Ogun: Gunmen kidnap female farmer, partner, demand N100m

Gunmen have abducted a businesswoman, Mrs. Rosslyn Edusi, and her business partner on her poultry farm at Omulisogbe, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

 

The businesswoman and her business partner, identified simply as Chinedu, were on the farm about 4pm on Saturday when the kidnappers numbering about eight came out of the bush and took them away.

 

Hours later, the kidnappers contacted Edusi’s younger sister and demanded a ransom of N100 million before the victims be freed.

 

The businesswoman’s daughter, Ayo Edusi, said her mother only went to inspect the farm and the workers when she and her partner were kidnapped. “She went to pick some  crate of eggs she wanted to take to Lagos for her customers. While returning from Lagos, she bought some drinks she sells in her restaurant.

 

After offloading the drinks, she went back to the poultry farm with her business partner. “I was told when she got to the farm, she stepped on a nail. While trying to remove the nail, the kidnappers came out from the forest and started shooting sporadically.

 

The workers attempted to escape but the kidnappers threatened to shoot them but they eventually scaled through the fence and went to the expressway to call for help. But before people could come, they had gone with my mother and Mr. Chindu into the forest,” Ayo said. According to her, about 8pm the kidnappers called her mother’s sister with the victim’s phone and demanded the ransom.

 

She added: “We have reported the matter at Owode  Egba Police Station, Ogun State Police Command. The police and the vigilantes have combed the forest for possible clue, but what they found was her eyeglasses,

 

Mr. Chinedu’s pair of shoes and the button of his shirt, which probably fell when they were dragging him. We are praying for their safety.”

 

The manager of the farm, who identified himself simply as Kingsley, said that a few minutes after Edusi and Chinedu came to the farm the kidnappers invaded the farm, armed with AK47 rifles.

 

He said: “Immediately the gunmen entered the farm, they started shooting sporadically and grabbed our madam. Mr. Chinedu tried to escape but one of the kidnappers followed him and threatened to shoot him.

 

One of the kidnappers also followed me to the gate and threatened to shoot me, but I didn’t answer him. I jumped over the fence and went to the  main road to call for help. But before people could come, they had gone.

 

The operation lasted just 15 minutes.” When our correspondent visited the farm yesterday, policemen and vigilantes were on the farm.

 

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the abduction. He said: “We are after them. But they cannot operate in the state, we have the logistics and operational manpower. I want to assure the victim’s family that we would get them.”

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