The Oyo State Police Command said it has arrested three men in connection with the abduction of Dayo Adewole, son of the immediate past Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole.
Dayo was kidnapped at about 5:30 p.m on Tuesday from his poultry farm located at Iroko, a suburb of Ibadan, in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state by yet to be identified gunmen.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, the Police, which launched a manhunt immediately the abduction of Dayo came to their attention, arrested the his newly employed driver, Mr. Gbenga Ogunleye; the farm manager, Mr. Sodiq Adebayo, and another worker on the farm.
Meanwhile, a team of security operatives comprising men of the Nigeria Police and the Army on Wednesday visited the farm belonging to Dayo Adewole, from where he was abducted.
The operatives were led by Assistant Inspector General of Police zone 11, Leye Oyebade, the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Shina Olukolu and the Garrison Commander, 2 Div Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General O.O. Soleye
Adebayo claimed the kidnappers were four in number and that their hooded leader wore military camouflage, while others did not cover their faces.
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He said they wore dark clothing and were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
The victim’s car was recovered about two kilometres away from the farm.
Speaking on the rescue efforts, AIG Oyebade, said the police have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers, and assured that the kidnapped victim would be rescued.
“This incident is very unfortunate because it is coming after we have been able to map out a lot of strategies to address the challenge we are facing.
“From our inspection of the scene, interaction and interrogation of the workers, and those that were present at the scene, we can really say that the modus operandi is changing, the tactic is changing, and their way of operating is changing. Since they now know that we have been able to cover the roads, they are now coming to isolated areas, looking for targets that can be approached, having monitored them.
“With what we gathered here, the suspects covered their faces and (with) the story that we have heard, we are not ruling out the involvement of those that are very close, in this particular situation. But whatever it is, we are going to unmask those that are behind this, and that is the assurance I am giving to members of the public.
“The Inspector General of Police has given a mandate and on that mandate we stand, that kidnapping will become highly unprofitable. With the system we are going to use now, with the application of STI and with the commitment and drive of police officers that have been deployed, we are going to uproot them,” Oyebade stated.
The AIG advised residents of the state to be security conscious, adding that in recruiting staff, employers must go beyond ordinary interviews, by insisting that the potential employees bring collateral, get their photographs and do background checks on the persons being considered for employment, especially domestic staff as many of such employees have tendencies to give out their principals to kidnappers or armed robbers.