Opadele Racheal Abiola, a final-year student at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, and a hotelier were purportedly killed by kidnappers.
According to LIB, the 500-level student and Olugbenga Owolabi, the proprietor of Tana Suites, were kidnapped in the early hours of July 29, 2022, at the hotel situated in the Abaa neighborhood of Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Although there is no confirmation about the killing from the police yet, sources close to the student’s family said the victims were shot dead after the kidnappers had collected a N5m ransom.
The okada rider, who took the ransom to the kidnapper’s den was also reportedly shot dead while a fourth person is at an undisclosed hospital receiving treatment.
According to a family source, the ransom was taken to the kidnappers on Tuesday night along Ogbomoso-Ilorin road around Igbon area and the abductors counted the money to ensure it was up to the agreed amount.
The source said the kidnappers were angered when they became aware of the presence of soldiers at LAUTECH area who stormed Ogbomoso ostensibly to provide security sequel to the increasing waves of kidnapping in the community.
“Soldiers were deployed to Ogbomoso yesterday but the bandits thought we invited the soldiers and so they opened fire on the victims and the men who took the ransom money there,” the source said.
The source added that the corpses would be evacuated on Wednesday morning.
The Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis, confirmed the incident to Punch, saying, “It is true.”
Multiple sources said the Ogbomoso-Ilorin road had been taken over by the angry youths who are protesting the alleged killing of the victims.
