Suspected gunmen who abducted one Felix Akinde, on Akure/Ikere road have demanded for the ransom of N5m.
Akinde was abducted on Tuesday at a bad portion of a road close to the NYSC farm in Iju/Ita ogbulu in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state.
The victim was travelling from Ikere through Akure, the Ondo state capital when he was seized by suspected gunmen.
The driver who was driving alone in his Toyota Privia space vehicle was waylaid and seized around 5 am on the road.
The gunmen abandoned the vehicle by the roadside, while they marched the victim who is a member of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ikere-Ekiti to the forest.
Motorists travelling on the same route immediately reported the case to the Police who consequently moved the car to the Iju Divisional Police Station.
It was learnt that the abductors on Thursday established contact with the family and leaders of NURTW in the state for the ransom.
Sources said men of the Anti Kidnapping Squad of the 32 Artilery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Owena Barracks in Akure in collaboration with other security agencies have launched a manhunt for the abductors in Iju forest.
A family source, who pleaded not to be named, said that the kidnappers contacted the families through their telephone lines.
He explained that they were demanding for a ransom of N5m before they could set the driver free
.
He said,” the kidnappers contacted us, and they are demanding for a ransom of N5m before they will release him.
“They said that he (driver) is in the bush with them and would only free him when we are ready to coperates on the ransom.
“As I speak with you, they have already used two different telephone line to contact us demanding to know how much we have been able to raise.
“Although, we have met with family members and including some of his friends in the NURTW to help us out in raising this money.
“The 5 million naira is just too much for us, and i don’t know where they want us to see such huge fund but we are still begging them” he said.
Also, one of the executive members of NURTW in Ondo state confirmed that the abductors have contacted the union and noted some fund was being raised with the families.
According to him,”we are pleading them to spare the life of our colleague and we have promised to raise some funds with the family in order to set him free” he said.
Police Public Relation Officers (PPRO) in Ondo State, Femi Joseph said the officers of the command have already swung into action and would soon arrest the perpetrators.
Nation