Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have kidnapped nine passengers heading from Abuja to Lagos in Ondo state on Saturday.
The passengers, who were travelling in a Toyota Sienna bus, were said to have been abducted at Isua area of Akoko south east local government area of Ondo, the Cable reports.
They were reportedly marched into a forest after their attackers ordered them out at gunpoint after their vehicle was stopped on the highway.
Tee-Leo Ikoro, police public relations officer in the state, confirmed the incident to reporters, saying one of the victims has been rescued.
A family member of another victim, Bamidele Ojo, said the abductors have demanded a ransom of N100 million.
Ikoro revealed that the police were working with hunters, local vigilante and other agencies to ensure the release of the remaining eight victims.
The high level of insecurity in the country has been a source of concern to the government.
As a result of this, Governors in south-west part of Nigeria floated Amotekun, a local security outfit, to tackle criminality in the region.
Meanwhile, former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has lamented the security state of the nation, saying insecurity now affects every part of Nigeria irrespective of geographical location, tribe, language and religion.
Obasanjo stated this during this year’s edition of the Sobo Sowemimo Annual Lecture organised by Abeokuta Club titled, “COVID-19 and the Nigeria security issues: The way forward.”
He noted that insecurity was now the order of the day in the present administration, adding that;
Let me lay more emphasis on the issue of security, which in itself is serious enough to make restructuring imperative. The South-West governors cried out and devised Amotekun as a solution or part-solution. We have yet to see how successfully that will be operated. Other zones are clamouring for a solution because in no state and in no geopolitical zone is life and property safe and secure.
Criminality is the order of the day. And it cuts across the entire nation. Insecurity is one issue of commonality among Nigerians, no matter their tribe, language, religion, geographical location, gender, age or social position.
According to him;
Insecurity brought about by widespread criminality of Boko Haram, insurgents, herdsmen/farmers conflict, terrorists, bandits, armed robbers, militants, kidnappers, abductors and human traffickers is a new phenomenon that is ravaging the entire country.
He stated that no ethnic group and even the Fulanis in Nigeria are collectively satisfied with the present security situation.
The former president said;
We are all challenged to put our thinking caps on, join hands and seek solutions together, otherwise, we will be destroyed piecemeal.
