Suspected kidnappers have abducted three traders and a driver in Olubo village along Abeokuta-Imala-Ayetoro road in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The traders were returning from Ilara market in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area on Tuesday when the abductors intercepted their commercial taxi and took them away to an undisclosed location.
The abductors, however, spared two traders in the same taxi with the victims.
Olubo is the same village where a medical doctor and a nurse travelling from Imeko town were abducted some weeks ago and released after ransom was paid by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Angered by abduction, indigenes and residents and indigenes of Olubo, Obada-Idi Emi, Imeko-Afon and Ilara barricaded the road in protest, demanding release of the victims and end to insecurity in the area.
Mrs. Akewugberu and Mrs. Rofiat Oladeinde said the commercial vehicle was forced to stop by four gunmen, who shot into the air repeatedly.
According to them, the gunmen, armed with AK-47 rifles and machetes, abducted the driver and three women but spared a Fulani and Hausa among the passengers.
They explained the hoodlums collected their money and handsets.
However, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Ogun Police Command, Bolanle Muritala, who arrived the spot where the victims were abducted in a police helicopter marked 5N-GEJ, appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring the police were already on the trail of the abductors.
A relation of one of the victims, Eunice Oladele, said she dropped her sister at a motor park on her way to Ilara on Tuesday morning, adding she was shocked to learn she had been kidnapped on her way back to Abeokuta.
Eunice said the kidnappers were yet to establish any contact with the family members.
Husband of one of the victims, Mutiu Oderinde, said his wife, Jelilat, traveled to Ilara market for trading to help her mother, who according to him was unable to go due to illness.
A tearful Oderinde appealed to the state government and security agencies to secure the release of his wife and other abductee unhurt.
-Nation
