Tension as gunmen kidnap farmer in Ogun, demand N500m ransom

A 33-year-old poultry farmer, Oreoluwa Osonuga, has been abducted by armed men at the Ikenne Farm Settlement in Ogun State.

Osonuga was reportedly kidnapped around 12:05 p.m. on Sunday.

The incident was confirmed on Monday by the chairman of the farm settlement, Seye Kehinde, in a statement.

Kehinde said the abductors briefly contacted Osonuga’s family on Sunday and demanded N500 million as ransom for his release.

The circumstances surrounding the abduction and efforts to secure the victim’s release were not immediately disclosed.

Part of the statement read, “The farm settlement in Ikenne witnessed an ugly situation this afternoon (12:05pm), as one of our members was kidnapped. He is Mr. Oreoluwa Osonuga, Male and about 33yrs of age.

“He is a poultry farmer and was on his way out of the farm when he was accosted by gun men, who shot at his car and forced him into the bush. Immediately, security personnel were invited and their response was prompt.

“Military men were also deployed from Ilese, who combed the forest with no tangible result.

“We are using this medium to keep the community aware of our plight and to stay vigilant.”

He noted that despite round-the-clock efforts by police, anti-kidnapping units, soldiers, and other security operatives, there had been no major breakthrough two days after the farmer’s abduction.

He continued, “Today is Day 2. No significant development on either the rescue or release of kidnapped Oreoluwa Osonuga.

“There has not been further contact from the abductors since the brief one made yesterday (Sunday) evening – around 5pm – with a cousin of the victim’s father, during which demand for N500 million ransom was made.

“It was the kidnapper who spoke with his second cousin using his handset with MTN network. The Ogun State Commissioner of Police is abreast of efforts being made by his men.

“It is on record that four months ago, on April 1, 2026, one of the farmers in the Settlement was kidnapped. He was in captivity for days before he was released after paying a ransom.”

The victim’s granduncle, Soga Osonuga, also confirmed the incident, describing it as a source of deep anxiety and distress for the family.

Speaking to our correspondent by phone on Monday, Soga said, “It is true that my nephew was abducted on Sunday, his father is the last born of our parents and I was there when a call was put across to him on Sunday. The statement is true.

“We haven’t heard anything today Monday, but yesterday someone called the line while we were at the settlement. The police is already aware but we are also using this opportunity to call on the security agencies to intensify their efforts and ensure that my nephew is safely released.”

He added that the family had been left shaken by the incident, noting that his nephew was simply trying to contribute meaningfully to food production in the country.

He said, “It has been a very difficult time for the family, we are emotionally and psychologically upset. This is a young man that is trying and struggling to do something reasonable with his life and make the two ends meet and for such a young man to be facing something like this has thrown the family, friends, and well-wishers into a state of unnecessary anxiety.

“We plead with the government and security agencies to please act fast and help bring back our son safely.”

Attempts to get a response from the state police command were unsuccessful, as calls to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, went unanswered, while messages sent to his WhatsApp had not been responded to as of press time.

It would be recalled that a joint operation by the police, the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army on Thursday led to the rescue of seven abducted students from Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, with three of the kidnappers reportedly neutralised during the operation.

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