• Govt blames victims for visiting site without security • Women protest over kidnapping surge, demand immediate action

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have struck again in Ondo State, kidnapping nine surveyors in the process.

The surveyors were abducted by armed gunmen who were lurking in the bush while they were on site at Ilu-Abo axis in Akure North Local Council of the state.

According to the source, the kidnappers made contacts with some families of the victims and demanded N100 million for their release, but later reduced it to N50 million after a series of pleas.

One of the sources, who craved anonymity, disclosed that N20 million had been raised, but the abductors turned it down as they insisted on the N50 million ransom.

Meanwhile, women in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday protested over the incessant kidnappings and killings, demanding an immediate stop to the development.

Converging on the residence of the Ejeminkin of Akure, High Chief Oluwole Omotayo, in the state capital, the protesters condemned the surge in the rate of kidnapping in the state in recent times.

While marching from Ijemikin to the Governor’s Office at Alagbaka, Akure, the protesters, who were mostly women, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take quick and decisive actions in checking activities of kidnappers, killer herdsmen and other criminals who have penetrated the communities in the state.

Addressing the protesting women, the Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Bola Taiwo, who spoke on behalf of the governor, blamed the victims for going to the site without security operatives.

Taiwo, who blamed the surveyors for collecting huge money from their clients and failed to spend money on their security, alleged insiders’ work for their abduction.

He said: “We shall speak with your leaders if they have reported the incident to the police. If they have not, they should do so; that’s when the government would act.

“Nowadays, any surveyors going to site should go with police escorts; if they do, no gunmen would abduct them. No one can kidnap anyone without internal collaborators.

“You shall now go back to Ilu-Abo and cry out that those who abducted the surveyors should release them. We will meet with your leaders and discuss with them.”

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