The woman leader of Koro ward of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, Mrs Olomi Sunday, has been killed during a rescue effort by the vigilante on Sunday.
The deceased was among three ward women leaders that were kidnapped from an 18-seater passenger bus while returning from the inauguration of the state executive of the APC held at the Kwara State Banquet Hall, last week.
It was gathered that three other men were also abducted from another passenger bus coming from Ekiti State by the kidnappers, who insisted on N20m ransom for their six victims.
Efforts to speak with the police spokesman, Ajayi Okasanmi, were not successful as calls and messages were neither answered nor replied to.
However, the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) chairman of Ekiti Local Government, Hon Kayode Bayode and the lawmaker representing the council at the State House of Assembly, Hon Ganiyu Gabriel Afolarin, confirmed the incident in separate chats with Daily Trust.
According to the TIC chairman who gave the name of the other two ward women leaders as Mrs Rachel Alasi (Obbo Ayegunle ward) and Mrs Yemisi Oloke Oni (Eruku ward), the deceased was killed during the exchange of gunfire with the abductors.
“The (N20m) ransom has been prepared but our vigilantes insisted that they want to go and rescue the victims.
“But unfortunately, we lost Mrs Olomi Sunday during the gun battle. The men also sustained injuries and one of them is in a serious condition from the gunshots suffered in the process.
“I’m at the hospital now in the council where they were taken for treatment”, he added.
Also speaking, Hon Ganiyu Gabriel Afolarin told our reporter that “Yes, we lost the woman leader of Eruku ward (Mrs Olomi Sunday) during an exchange of gunfire between the abductors and our vigilantes. I am part of the delegation to pay the deceased family a condolence visit.
“However, the other five victims were rescued and no ransom was paid at the end of the day,” he added.
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