“Manhunt in Forests: Security Agents Scour for Abducted Ekiti APC Chairperson”
Following the abduction of the Ekiti State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Paul Omotoso, the combined forces of security agencies including Amotekun Corp and local hunters in the state are currently combing the forests in search of the party chairman.
Omotoso was on Saturday evening kidnapped along Agbado – Imesi Ekiti road in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state by gunmen while driving to his country home of Imesi-Ekiti.
A family source who spoke on Sunday said since the party chairman’s abduction on Saturday, members of the family were still expecting the call of the abductors possibly to demand for ransom.
The source who acknowledged that though security operatives of various security agencies have been combing the forests in search of the APC chairman, said nothing has been heard concerning his whereabouts.
According to him, ” We are still in a very difficult mood since our man was kidnapped because we are yet to receive any call from the abductors since Saturday night.
” I can tell you that security agencies including our local people have been in the bush searching for him but there is no headway yet as regards his whereabouts.
” We have taken phones of close family members to a place where there will be good network in the community in anticipation for a call from the gunmen demanding for ransom, that is the situation.”
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has directed security agencies to arrest abductors of the APC chairman, urging them to do everything possible to secure the safe release of Omotoso.
Oyebanji noted that Omotoso shouldn’t only be rescued unscathed, that the perpetrators of the dastardly act be nabbed and made to face the full weight of the laws.
The governor represented by his Deputy, Chief( Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the directive on Sunday, when he visited Omotoso’s family at Imesi Ekiti, to sympathise with them on the devastating incident.
Similarly, the Governor, who was received by the victim’s family, also visited the Onimesi of Imesi Ekiti, Oba Olatunji Olatunde, to register his displeasure over the disturbing incident.
Oyebanji in his stern instruction, directed the police and DSS operatives to comb the sprawling forests along Agbado-Imesi-Irun Akoko in Ondo State and other suspected areas to rescue the victim safely from where he is being held hostage.
The Governor branded the incident as very troubling and disturbing, saying his government would continue to step up efforts to tighten noose on those who are occasionally terrorising Ekiti through senseless kidnapping, and made to face serious resistance.
As part of the ways to stamp out abduction in that axis of Ekiti, Oyebanji assured that the state forest reserves extending from Agbado-Imesi-Ise will be rescusiated and put to use to dislodge those using the area as hideout.
