Forest Guards Rescue 9, Kill 3 Bandits In Foiled Abduction In Kwara
Nine abducted persons have been rescued and three suspected bandits killed after a fierce gun battle between security operatives and criminal elements in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Going by an official statement made available to newsmen by the Chief Press Secretary to the Ekiti Local Government Council Chairman, Prince Dada Sunday, the bandits who were heading from Ekiti State with some of the people they had earlier abducted, attacked farmers on their farmlands in Obbo-Aiyegunle and Ora-Aiyetoro communities in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The Office of the Forest Guards in Ekiti LGA was alerted and immediately mobilised operatives.
The team, working with local hunters and vigilantes, intercepted the armed criminals in between Obbo-Ile and Ora-Aiyetoro in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State forest as they attempted to move the victims across the border.
During the exchange of gunfire, three of the bandits were neutralised.
All nine abductees were rescued.
One of the victims sustained injuries after he was attacked with a machete by the bandits while trying to resist abduction, and he is currently receiving treatment in hospital.
Umaru Muazu, a rescued farmer from Obbo Aiyegunle, narrated how the attack happened at about 4:57pm as he was leaving the market.
“Men came from nowhere and put a gun to my head. Four of them took me and my son. I fell to the ground out of shock,” Muazu said.
Another victim, Ibrahim Danga, also of Obbo Aiyegunle, said the timely intervention of the forest guards saved their lives.
Owolabi Adebayo, a member of the Kwara Forest Guards, confirmed the operation.
He noted that the bandits were heavily armed.
“There is no type of firearm that is not in their hand. We need more equipment such as body armor, binoculars, night goggles, walkie-talkies and more ammunition to engage them effectively,” Adebayo said.
The Chief Security Officer of Ekiti LGA, Agbemuko Gabriel, praised the forest guards for their intelligence and rapid response.
“What they did for us two days ago, they are the ones that helped us rescue those people that were kidnapped along Ora-Ayetoro axis in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. They have been doing enough security and intelligence work for us,” Gabriel said.
Video from the scene showed security personnel with several recovered motorcycles, while the nine rescued victims posed together.
