By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
A 33-year-old poultry farmer, Mr Oreoluwa Osonuga, has been abducted by gunmen at the Ikenne Farm Settlement in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Osonuga was reportedly kidnapped at about 12:05 p.m. on Sunday when the assailants allegedly intercepted his vehicle, shot at it and forced him into the bush.
The incident has heightened anxiety among farmers and residents of the settlement, coming barely four months after another farmer was abducted from the area.
The latest abduction was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chairman of the Farm Settlement, Seye Kehinde, on Monday.
According to the statement, security personnel were immediately alerted following the incident, while soldiers were subsequently deployed from Ilese to comb the surrounding forest in an attempt to rescue the victim.
The statement said: “The farm settlement in Ikenne witnessed an ugly situation this afternoon (12:05 p.m.), as one of our members was kidnapped. He is Mr Oreoluwa Osonuga, male and about 33 years of age.
“He is a poultry farmer and was on his way out of the farm when he was accosted by gunmen, who shot at his car and forced him into the bush. Immediately, security personnel were invited and their response was prompt.
“Military men were also deployed from Ilese, who combed the forest with no tangible result.
“We are using this medium to keep the community aware of our plight and to stay vigilant.”
The kidnappers reportedly established contact with members of Osonuga’s family later on Sunday and demanded N500 million as ransom for his release.
A follow-up statement by the farm settlement chairman on Monday said there had been no further contact with the abductors since the previous evening.
“Today is Day 2. No significant development on either the rescue or release of kidnapped Oreoluwa Osonuga,” the statement said.
“There has not been further contact from the abductors since the brief one made yesterday (Sunday) evening, around 5 p.m., with a cousin of the victim’s father, during which a demand for N500 million ransom was made.
“It was the kidnapper who spoke with his second cousin using his handset with MTN network.
“The Ogun State Commissioner of Police is abreast of efforts being made by his men.”
The statement further recalled that another farmer in the settlement was abducted on April 1, 2026, and spent several days in captivity before he was released after a ransom was reportedly paid.
Confirming the abduction, the victim’s uncle, Prof. Soga Osonuga, said the incident had plunged the family into “great anxiety and disturbance.”
Prof. Osonuga said: “It is true that my nephew was abducted on Sunday. His father is the last born of our parents, and I was there when a call was put across to him on Sunday. The statement is true.
“We haven’t heard anything today, Monday, but yesterday someone called the line while we were at the settlement. The police are already aware, but we are also using this opportunity to call on the security agencies to intensify efforts and ensure that my nephew is safely released.”
He described the incident as shocking, saying the family was particularly distressed because Osonuga was a young farmer trying to contribute to food production.
“It has been a very difficult time for the family. We are emotionally and psychologically upset. This is a young man who is trying and struggling to do something reasonable with his life and make ends meet, and for such a young man to be facing something like this has thrown the family, friends and well-wishers into a state of unnecessary anxiety.
“We plead with the government and security agencies to please act fast and help bring back our son safely,” he said.
