Four suspected kidnappers were feared killed and four soldiers shot during a gun battle between the kidnappers and soldiers along Owo /Ifon road in Ose local government area of Ondo State on Friday.
A source who disclosed this to our reporter said the suspected kidnappers had held some people who were travelling along the route as hostage before the soldiers arrived at the spot.
According to the source, who explained that the troops were on patrol when they ran into the barricade of the kidnappers on the road while the kidnappers opened fire on them and the soldiers responded back immediately.
The soldiers were said to be careful in exchanging gun with the kidnappers in order not to kill some of the victims who had been held hostage by the kidnappers but four of the kidnappers were reportedly shot dead during the gun duel.
The source however said four of the military men also sustained injuries from a gunshot during the exchange of fire and they were immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for medical attention.
He said that the Owo / Ifon axis of the road was immediately deserted by motorists and the residents following the heavy gun shot experienced by the people of the area.
He said: “an ambush was laid by the kidnappers who successfully abducted some victims while the soldiers who ran into the kidnappers’ roadblock were welcomed with a hail of bullets.
“But they responded promptly and after the fire exchange, four of the kidnappers were said to be killed while four soldiers were hit with bullets. All the captured victims were released after the shoot out.”
Confirming the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Tee Leo Ikoro, and said four military men were injured during the attack.
Ikoro said men of the state police command have been drafted to comb the forest in order to apprehend the suspected kidnappers.
He said the command has commenced investigation into the matter, saying the criminals would be brought to book.
However, the Army spokesman, Ayorinde Omojokun, neither confirm nor deny the incident but promised to get back to our reporter on the development.
Meanwhile, in a related development, residents of Owobamigbe Farm settlement, along Ileyo Isagba road, Akure in Akure North local government area of the state flee from the village over fear of attack by herdsmen.
It was gathered that there was a face off between a cassava farmer in the village who met some herdsmen on his farm, harvesting cassava to feed their cattle.
The farmer was said to have been macheted when he made attempt to stop the herdsman who inflicted various degrees of injury on him before he was rescued from the scene by other farmers.
One of the farmers, Mr Michael Abiodun, explained that most of the villagers had started leaving the area over fear of attacks by the herdsmen.
Abiodun said most of the villagers had left the village and are not going to sleep in village, saying anytime they have issues with Fulani herdsmen, they would always come back at night to attack them.
The farmer who lamented that the herders had destroyed their source of livelihood, pleaded with men of the Nigeria Police and Amotekun corps to come to their rescue and beef up security in the area to prevent bloodshed.
