From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Suspected gunmen in Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have kidnapped a petrol dealer, Mr. Itakorode Adebayo. Itakorode is the general manager of Prosperous Filling Station, located at Isan-Ekiti, hometown of the sate governor, Kayode Fayemi.
This incident happened few months after a chieftain of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at his filling station along Ado-Ijan Road.
It was gathered that gunmen numbering eight had invaded the petrol station around 7pm on Thursday and abducted the victim. The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, said a team of police operatives and detectives, including the Amotekun Corps and local hunters have been deployed to rescue the victim.
Abutu said they had been mandated to rigorously comb the bushes and the forests across the state to ensure they rescue the man. The command’s spokesman explained that the gunmen stormed the filling station through the bush on about six motorcycles and started shooting sporadically before whisking the victim away.
Abutu said: “The Ekiti State Police Command, in addition to the rescue teams deployed, has contacted all the border states for possible assistance towards the rescue of the victim and the arrest of the perpetrators.”