In an incredible act of bravery, local hunters and members of a vigilance group have successfully rescued five wedding guests who had been abducted by gunmen in Kwara State. The incident, which took place on Monday, December 18, 2024, along the Omu-Aran highway, has left both the victims and the community in awe of the hunters’ swift and daring intervention. The victims, including prominent local figures and their family members, were freed on Christmas Day, marking a bittersweet end to a harrowing week for the residents of Ekiti Local Government Area.
The victims, who had been returning to their homes in Odo-Owa after attending a wedding ceremony in Ope town, Kogi State, were abducted by armed men suspected to be part of a larger criminal gang operating in the region. Among those kidnapped were Oloye Oyewole Abolarin, the head of hunters in Odo-Owa, his wife Funmilayo Abolarin, and four others, including Tunde Oladipo and his wife, and a woman named Bose, all from the Agbele Igbede compound in Odo-Owa.
According to an anonymous local source, the victims were abducted as they made their way back home from the event, when the kidnappers struck, ambushing the vehicle carrying the wedding guests. “It was a traumatic experience for everyone involved. They were taken at gunpoint and forced into the dense bush by the kidnappers,” the source recounted.
Ransom Demand and Community Mobilisation
In the days following the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the families of the victims and reportedly demanded a staggering N100 million ransom for their release. This demand sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting both family members and other residents to rally support in hopes of raising the funds.
While the exact amount collected remains unclear, local sources say the community came together in an urgent push to meet the kidnappers’ demands. Despite this, there were increasing calls for government intervention, with many urging Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to take action. “This situation has become a nightmare for the families involved. We need the government and security agencies to help put an end to this reign of terror,” said a community leader who asked to remain anonymous.
Efforts to confirm the details of the ransom payment and the police’s involvement have so far been unsuccessful. Authorities have remained tight-lipped, with the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, yet to provide an official statement on the case. “We are still investigating the matter,” Okasanmi said in a brief response to inquiries.
The Role of Local Hunters in the Rescue
While the situation remained grim, hope came from an unexpected quarter. Local hunters, led by Oloye Oyewole Abolarin himself, were instrumental in locating the kidnappers’ hideout. As an influential figure within the local community and head of the hunters in Odo-Owa, Abolarin’s knowledge of the local terrain was invaluable.
According to reports from community members, the hunters mobilized quickly, forming search parties and scouring the forests and hills surrounding the area. Their extensive understanding of the region, coupled with the support of local vigilante groups, allowed them to track the movements of the kidnappers. By Christmas Day, they had located the hideout, where the victims were being held in captivity.
