Three Days After Abduction, 24-Year-Old Poultry Farmer Regains Freedom

Ayodeji Emanuel Odetunde, the 24-year-old Poultry farmer, who was held captive by Fulani herdsmen at Oke Odan, near Olomo area of Apete Community in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been released.

He regained his freedom, after three days of being in kidnappers’ den, on Thursday, February 25, 2021, at about 7:15 pm.

The son of a poultry farmer and student of the University of Ibadan student was kidnapped by gunmen on his father’s farm at Oke Odan, Apete Ibadan and taken to an unknown destination at about 5p.m., on Monday, February 22, within his father’s poultry farm.

According to a family source, the victim was released in Iseyin town, at Oke Ogun part of the state.

Reporters At Large learnt that during the time of the victim’s stay with his abductors, he was given raw cassava as food.

it was also gathered that the abductors demanded a ransom before Ayodeji can be released but one cannot ascertain if the ransom was paid by the family.

Ayodeji also tweeted about his freedom on Thursday evening.

The Fulani abductors, who came with sophisticated guns, had asked for Emmanuel’s father, but took the son away when they saw that the father was not within the vicinity.

The kidnappers had called his father at about 10p.m., on Monday, few hours after the kidnap, demanding N100 million as ransom.

It was further gathered that after the first call on the day of the kidnap, the abductors did not call his family until Wednesday, February 24, to negotiate with the father on an agreed amount.

But the family did not disclose anything about the ransom that was paid to secure the release of Emmanuel.

Confirming the victim’s release when contacted, the police spokesman in the state, CSP Olugbenga Fadeyi, said that he had been reunited with his family.

Fadeyi said, however, that the release would not stop police investigation on the case, as they were still on the trail of the abductors, in order to apprehend them.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed the calls for the federal government to grant amnesty to armed bandits and other criminals.

The Nigerian president at a security meeting on Thursday, February 25, said his administration will deal decisively with bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents.