CRIN Tour: 1 Rescued, 4 Abducted As “Fulani Bandits” Attack Cocoa Farmers In Ibadan

At least four cocoa farmers were kidnapped by people suspected to be bandits in Ibadan on Wednesday morning.

The farmers reportedly went on a familiarization visit to the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) located at Idi-Ayunre area of Ibadan.

According to one of the farmers who narrowly escaped being kidnapped alongside other co-travellers the incident happened on their way to the Nursery Section of the institute as part of the familiarization visit.

Recounting the incident, the lucky farmer who identified himself as the new state chairman of the Cocoa Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, they were waylaid by the gunmen as the bus conveying them was making its way to the Nursery Section of the institute.

Speaking in Yoruba, he said, “We were on a familiarization visit to CRIN. We were five on the bus. On our way to the Nursery Section of the institute we suddenly heard a gunshot. We initially mistook the sound for a burst nylon inadvertently crushed by the tyres of our vehicle. However, when the sound became persistent we decided to pull up to check what was happening.”

He continued, ” That was when we realized we had been waylaid, our vehicle surrounded by armed men who from their appearances and accent are definitely Fulani. The kidnappers were six or thereabouts. They eventually carted away five of my co-travellers.”

Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka who confirmed the incident said one of the four kidnapped victims had been successfully rescued, and his vehicle recovered.

“Efforts are on to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the perpetrators,” Olayinka was quoted by NAN to have said in a short text message.