BREAKING: KWARA OPC LEADER, TWO OTHERS ABDUCTED DURING ₦30 MILLION RANSOM DELIVERY MISSION

 KWARA OPC LEADER, TWO OTHERS ABDUCTED DURING ₦30 MILLION RANSOM DELIVERY MISSION

A major security incident has been reported in Kwara State after the state coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Bayo Fabiyi, alongside two other individuals, was reportedly abducted while attempting to deliver ransom to suspected kidnappers for the release of another victim.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday in Oko-Irese community, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity and kidnapping activities in parts of the state.

According to information gathered from local sources, Fabiyi and two associates were allegedly involved in efforts to secure the release of a kidnap victim after suspected abductors reportedly demanded a ransom package valued at about ₦30 million, along with five motorcycles and three bags of rice.

Reports indicate that the group was instructed to deliver the ransom package to a forest location around the Kwara-Kogi boundary, where the exchange was expected to take place.

However, the situation reportedly took a dramatic turn after the team arrived at the designated location, as armed kidnappers allegedly seized the ransom bearers instead of releasing the victim they had been negotiating for.

Sources familiar with the development said communication with the three men was lost shortly after the encounter, with no confirmed contact established since the incident occurred.

Emerging reports also suggest that the original kidnap victim at the center of the negotiations may have been killed before the ransom delivery team reached the exchange point, although this has not been independently confirmed by security authorities.

Further details indicate that the abduction was not immediately reported to security agencies, creating uncertainty regarding how quickly official intervention could begin.

When contacted over the development, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the police command had not received any formal report concerning the alleged abduction.

The police commissioner stated that authorities would begin investigations immediately once an official complaint is lodged with the command.

The incident has attracted widespread concern due to Fabiyi’s recent public statements about growing insecurity in Kwara South, where he had earlier called for stronger collaboration between conventional security agencies and community-based security organizations.

In remarks made weeks before the incident, the OPC leader had expressed concerns about increasing cases of kidnapping and violent crimes affecting rural communities, arguing that local security groups possess valuable intelligence that could strengthen efforts to combat criminal activities in forested areas.

The latest development adds to the growing list of security challenges facing communities across several parts of Nigeria, where kidnapping for ransom continues to remain a serious concern despite ongoing security operations by authorities.