By Jimoh Sulyman
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Friday shot dead a commercial driver, Oluwatosin Aruwajoye, and abducted five of his passengers ,leaving another one with bullet wound ,along Ibadan- Lagos expressway.
It was learnt that the I’ll fated eight-seater ash colour Toyota Sienna bus with registration number MUS 493 HHH took off from Ibadan, Oyo State, and were on their way to Lagos State when the kidnappers suddenly emerged from the bush on the roadside shooting sporadically at Onigaari.
It was further gathered that the now deceased driver, upon sensing the danger tried to manoeuvre his way through but was unlucky as he was shot dead at close range, while another passenger by the name Tiamiyu was shot in the thigh.
Police operatives from the Oyo State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad and the Toll Gate Police Division were said to have moved to the scene upon the report made at Toll gate police station by Tiamiyu’s brother,rushing the injured victim to the hospital for treatment.
Several security operatives were said to have started combing the bush in a move to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident which he described as unfortunate, saying that there would be an update in due course.
Although the incident happened at Oyo state end of the busy Lagos Ibadan expressway, both Lagos and Oyo state police commands have concluded plan to launch a serious operation in that axis.
It was also gathered that some months ago, two members of the dreaded kidnapping syndicate were gunned down by men of Ogun state command and recovering from them two AK 47riffles,they are suspected to be responsible for this latest one on the string of attacks on the road.
It will be recalled that a Catholic priest, Rev Fr Luke Adeleke was killed on the eve of Christmas, 24th December 2021 along the same axis.
The police however assured that the recent happening on that road will be seriously tackled and are going to do what it takes with utmost urgency.
The remains of the late driver have been reported to have been deposited in the mortuary at Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring Road,Ibadan.
Meanwhile, the kidnappers have reportedly demanded N30 million as a ransom for the victim, as a reliable source narrated that the kidnappers made the call to her relation based in Lagos not too long after the abduction.
