Gunmen have kidnapped four persons, including a captain of the Nigerian Army, identified as D. Gana, along Kabba-Auga-Akoko expressway in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The army captain and others, abducted on Tuesday, were said to be travelling from Abuja when they ran into the ambush laid by the kidnappers.

Spokesman of Ondo State police command, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, confirmed the development when he spoke with newsmen yesterday.

Ikoro said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Undie Adie, had ordered officers and men of the command to begin the search of the forest where the victims were believed to have been taken by the kidnappers.

He said: “We have begun an intensive investigation into the incident and we want to enjoin anybody with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals to forward the same to the police for onward action.”

The spokesman of the army formation in the state, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Mr Ayorinde Omojokun, said: “We are still on the matter.”

According to a source, the hoodlums stopped the vehicle conveying the victims on the expressway and dragged them into the bush to an unknown destination. The source explained further that the hoodlums did not pick any item belonging to the victims from the vehicle but left the doors of the vehicle open after taking the victims away.

It was however gathered that the abductors had contacted the families of the victims, demanding N20 million for the release of the four victims.

Guardian