Unknown gunmen have kidnapped the traditional ruler of Iba community in Lagos State, Oba Goriola Oseni, alongside a woman, her three-month-old baby, and a businessman.
It was gathered that the kidnappers invaded the community in two speedboats at about 10: 30pm on Saturday, July 16, and shot dead one of the palace guards and a motorcycle rider before whisking the monarch away.
The monarch's wife, Kuburat, was said to have sustained gunshot injuries in the process of the shootings, and rushed to the hospital.
According to a resident, Ifayemi Yomi, the assailants, who suspected to be militants, started shooting sporadically when they arrived the community, as everyone ran for cover.
“The gunmen came in at about 10pm, shooting indiscriminately. They had earlier gone to the Agbede area of Ikorodu, and tried to abduct some oil dealers; but they failed. They then made their way to Iba through the waterways," the resident told Punch.
“They went to the palace and dragged the traditional ruler out. The residents tried to prevent their entry into the palace and one of them, who worked with the Neighbourhood Watch, was shot dead. A motorcycle rider was also killed.”
In another account from one Muyiwa, also a resident, it was initially assumed that their familiar vigilantes were carrying out the shootings.
He said: “My wife and I initially thought vigilantes were at work, but with the persistence of the shooting, we sensed the community was under attack.
“The gunshots woke up my two children. For one hour, I was confused. My wife, the children and I held on to one another. It was this morning (Sunday) that I heard that the king was abducted by militants. They killed his guard and shot his wife in the leg.”
According to the monarch's elder brother and the Oloto of Otto, Oba Josiah Aina, the kidnapper have not demanded any ransom.
It was, however, learnt that the woman who was kidnapped with her child the previous day, Friday, alongside a businessman, are still in their captors' den, as N30 million ransom demanded for each of them has not been paid.
The abductors were said to have rejected N3 million they were offered by the man's family.
The monarch's abduction was confirmed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos.
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