Gunmen have reportedly demanded N120m for the release of three people abducted at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the abduction on Friday, saying efforts were underway to rescue the victims and arrest those responsible.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan.
According to the police, the victims were abducted while inspecting crops on a farm within the premises of the research institute.
Vanguard, however, reported that the victims comprised two CRIN workers, identified as Eunice Babalola, leader of the institute’s Central Nursery, and Kehinde Gbalajobi, an agricultural superintendent, alongside another man who resides in the institute’s senior staff quarters but is not an employee.
The publication reported that the two staff members were abducted while walking from the Central Nursery towards the senior staff quarters.
Confirming the incident, Ayanlade said the command had immediately commenced efforts to secure the victims’ release.
“Upon receiving the report, the command immediately commenced intensive efforts to secure the safe rescue of the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that a manhunt had been launched to track down the abductors.
“Operational efforts are ongoing to ensure the victims’ safe return and bring those responsible to justice,” the statement added.
The command appealed to members of the public with credible information that could assist the operation to report to the nearest police station or contact the police through its established emergency channels.
The latest abduction has renewed concerns over the safety residents within Oyo State recalling the abduction of Orire pupils who recently regained freedom this year.
