Confusion has trailed the reported abduction of a chieftain of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Comrade Bayo Fabiyi, along with two other individuals in Oko-Irese, located in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to reports, Fabiyi was kidnapped alongside a driver and another associate while on a mission to deliver ransom and other items intended to secure the release of a previously abducted victim.
Sources said the group was reportedly transporting about ₦30 million, five motorcycles, and three bags of rice when they were intercepted by armed men and abducted.
It was gathered that the trio had travelled to the area as part of efforts to negotiate the release of a victim who had earlier been kidnapped in the community.
However, a source familiar with the incident alleged that the original victim may have already been killed by the kidnappers before the ransom team arrived, a development that was reportedly unknown to those sent to deliver the ransom.
The abductors were said to have directed the team into a forested area along a route linking Kwara and Kogi states before they were reportedly seized at gunpoint.
It was further gathered that the OPC Chieftian had consulted before embarking on the journey, with a spiritual warning allegedly advising him against the trip.
However, he reportedly ignored the warning and embarked on the trip.
A source said the incident was not initially reported to security agencies.
When contacted, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, said the command was not formally informed of any kidnapping involving an OPC member at the time of inquiry.
He added that police would investigate the matter once a formal report is received.
Backstory:
The abduction of OPC Chieftian Comrade Bayo Fabiyi and two others is linked to an earlier kidnapping incident in Oko-Irese, a community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to reports, a resident of the community had previously been abducted by suspected kidnappers, who subsequently demanded a ransom and other items for the victim’s release. In response, Fabiyi and two associates reportedly volunteered to deliver the ransom package, which allegedly included cash, motorcycles, and food items.
However, while travelling through the area, the trio was ambushed and abducted by armed men. Sources later claimed that the victim they were attempting to rescue may have already been killed before the ransom delivery team arrived, although this had not been confirmed by authorities at the time.
The incident highlights the persistent challenge of kidnapping-for-ransom in parts of Kwara and neighbouring states, where criminal groups have increasingly targeted travellers and residents despite ongoing security operations by government agencies.
