BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Palpable fear has gripped residents of Osun State following an intelligence report disclosed by the state government showing that suspected kidnappers have infiltrated ranks of commercial transport operators and attempted to harm unsuspecting citizens using motorcycles and mini-buses, popularly known as korope.
A resident of Osogbo, capital of the state, who identified herself as Bimbo had narrated how she was abducted by some male kidnappers on Tuesday morning and was driven to a bush along Osogbo-Ilesa road where she was dispossessed of her belongings after her kidnappers placed some charms on her head.
In a viral video, Bimbo, who was speaking in excruciating pain apparently owing to the effects of the fetish objects she was hit with, explained that she was kidnapped after she boarded a commercial motorcycle going to the Ayetotro area of the capital city.
She said one of the kidnappers had pretended to be a pedestrian who was also awaiting a commercial motorcycle to board and that after she mounted the motorcycle, the man asked if she could join her since he claimed to be going to the same Ayetotro area. Immediately Bimbo mounted the bike, the rider made a turn and faced another route.
“After I discovered that the bike man made a detour, I said that was not the route he was to follow. The man at my back asked me to keep silent and threatened to kill me if I shouted. I kept quiet and they rode me to a place where I was pushed inside a stationary mini-bus (Korope) and they drove me and others I met inside the vehicle to a bush path along Ilesa-Osogbo road.
“At that place, one of the men removed a charm and started hitting it on the other victims’ head. He hit me too and after about a minute, the man drew his partner to himself and said I will spoil work if they should take me along. They asked if I had any money with me, I showed them my purse and they collected my money and other belongings. While the bus was in motion, they suddenly pushed me out of it. I made efforts to get home and since then, I have been feeling some strange pains and reactions in my body,” Bimbo who spoke in Yoruba narrated.
In the same vein on Tuesday evening, a suspected female narrowly escaped being lynched at Baruwa area of Osogbo after some vigilant residents accused her of attempting to abduct a six-year-old in the area.
But for the timely intervention of some policemen who whisked the suspect away after a resident made an emergency call, the suspect would have been lynched after she couldn’t give a satisfactory account of her mission in the community when a mob confronted her.
Meanwhile, the state government has said it was aware of an intelligence report of the infiltration of the ranks of commercial transport operators in the state by some criminal elements who were attempting to harm unsuspecting citizens using motorcycles and mini-buses (korope) especially.
A statement signed and issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation in the state, Funke Egbemode disclosed that, “The video of a young lady making the rounds who was fortunate to escape the plot confirms the report.
“We are therefore calling on residents of the state to be more security-conscious as they move around the state, and especially avoid motorcycles, mini-buses or buses without registration numbers.
Citizens are also advised to report, through the state’s emergency line, all suspicious movements or presence around their communities or places of residence.
“The various transport associations are also directed to dispatch their enforcement teams towards ensuring the strict adherence to the safety guidelines and rules laid down by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Specifically, the National Union of Road Transport Workers is charged not to allow any of its members to be used for nefarious activities that threaten the security of the state.
“The security formations of the state have been fully briefed on this new development, and appropriate actions are being taken to ensure that these unscrupulous elements do not disrupt the peace of the State.
“The government of Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola will continue to do everything possible to protect citizens of the state from actual and potential threats,” the statement read.
