Gunmen in Army uniform kill one, abduct 2 in Kwara

Gunmen, on Saturday in Alapa, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducted two people, Alhaji Usman Babatunde Zulu and Abdulhakeem Amimu, killing another person in the process.

Zulu is the brother of a former Commissioner for Energy and one time Local Government Chairman in the state, Alhaji Tajudeen Zulu Oloje.

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The other victim, Aminu, is a resident of Anifowose, in Ilorin West Local Government of Kwara State.

The gunmen in army uniform, numbering about ten, who reportedly stormed the hotel of Babatunde on Saturday night, shot sporadically into the air in the attempt to kidnap the victims.

Bullets from their fired shots however hit one Razaq of Oloje area, Ilorin who died at the front of the hotel.

Sources described the scene as similar to an action-packed movie.

Miraculously escape

Speaking on the incident, the former commissioner told Daily Trust that his brother (Babatunde) miraculously escaped from his abductors after the incident but sustained gunshots wounds.

He added that he has been taken to a private hospital for treatment.

“My brother miraculous escaped from them,” he said.

N16m ransom

It was gathered from credible sources in the area that the abductors had contacted the family of the victim they escaped with, demanding N16m ransom.

Confirming the incident, the Police in a statement on Sunday, signed by Ajayi Okasanmi, Kwara state Command’s Public Relations Officer, said the target of the Kidnap was Babatunde, the owner of the hotel who escaped into the bush during the attack with injuries.

“About 10 armed men in Military uniform invaded Zulu Abeje Hotel, Mandala near Alapa at about 8pm on Saturday and shot dead a man identified as Aro Razaq of Oloje, Ilorin in front of the hotel.

“But while escaping into the bush, the kidnappers abducted one Abdulhakeem Aminu of Anifowoshe Ilorin,” the PPRO said.

He added that “The Commissioner of Police Kwara State Command, CP Tuesday Assayomo, immediately dispatched the Command’s tactical units on receipt of the information and also co-opted local hunters, vigilantes and OPC in the search and rescue endeavour.

“He solicited the cooperation of the people through giving the police information that might aid the command in the early arrest of the suspects and rescue of the victim.”