Abducted Kwara LG Officials Regain Freedom
Two top officials of Oke-Ero Local Government Area in Kwara State, who were abducted last Friday, have regained their freedom, the council chairman confirmed on Monday.
The Director of Personnel Management, Alhaji Musibau Amuda, and the Legal Officer, Mrs. Omoladun Arinde, were reportedly kidnapped while travelling from Iloffa, the council headquarters, to Ilorin, the state capital.
Chairman of the council, James Fadipe, in a statement to the press, announced that both officers had returned safely and in good health. He expressed gratitude to various stakeholders for their support during the ordeal.
The Kwara State Police Command had earlier confirmed the abduction, stating that five armed men blocked the road near Eleyin village in the Isin Local Government Area and seized seven passengers from two vehicles. A police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, later reported that two of the victims had been rescued while efforts continued to secure the release of the remaining five and apprehend the kidnappers.
Fadipe did not disclose the circumstances surrounding the release of the council officials but thanked Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), security agencies, traditional rulers, and religious leaders for their roles in securing the victims’ return.
“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Almighty God for His mercy and protection over our Director of Personnel Management, Alhaji Musibau Amuda, and Legal Officer, Barrister Omoladun Elizabeth Arinde,” the statement read. “This is indeed the Lord’s doing.”
The chairman added that the local government remained committed to maintaining peace and fostering development across the area.