Armed kidnappers seize farmer in Ogun, issue N500m ransom demand

A 33-year-old poultry farmer, Oreoluwa Osonuga, fell victim to an abduction by armed men at the Ikenne Farm Settlement in Ogun State on Sunday afternoon, at approximately 12:05 p.m.

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The incident was brought to light in a statement released by Seye Kehinde, the chairman of the farm settlement, on Monday, in which he disclosed that the kidnappers had briefly contacted the victim's family on Sunday, demanding a ransom of N500 million for Osonuga's release.

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According to the statement, the abduction occurred when Osonuga was leaving the farm and was confronted by gunmen who shot at his car and forced him into the bush, prompting a prompt response from security personnel.

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Military personnel were also deployed from Ilese to comb the forest, but their efforts yielded no tangible results, leading the farm settlement to alert the community to the situation and urge vigilance.

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Despite round-the-clock efforts by the police, anti-kidnapping units, soldiers, and other security operatives, there had been no significant breakthrough two days after the farmer's abduction, with the Ogun State Commissioner of Police being kept informed of the developments.

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It was noted that the kidnappers had made contact with a cousin of the victim's father on Sunday evening, around 5 p.m., using an MTN network handset, and had demanded a ransom of N500 million, but there had been no further communication since then.

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The incident is not an isolated one, as it was reported that another farmer in the settlement was kidnapped four months ago, on April 1, 2026, and was released after paying a ransom after spending days in captivity.

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Oreoluwa Osonuga's granduncle, Soga Osonuga, confirmed the incident, describing it as a source of deep anxiety and distress for the family, and expressed his concern in a phone conversation on Monday.

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Soga Osonuga stated that the family had not received any updates on Monday, but had received a call on Sunday, and that the police were aware of the situation, while also calling on security agencies to intensify their efforts to ensure the safe release of his nephew.

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The family has been left shaken by the incident, with Soga Osonuga noting that his nephew was simply trying to contribute to food production in the country, and that the experience had thrown the family, friends, and well-wishers into a state of unnecessary anxiety.

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The family has appealed to the government and security agencies to act quickly to bring back their son safely, as the situation continues to cause emotional and psychological distress.

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Efforts to obtain a response from the state police command were unsuccessful, as calls to the command's spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, went unanswered, and messages sent to his WhatsApp had not been responded to as of press time.

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The incident comes on the heels of a joint operation by the police, the Department of State Services, and the Nigerian Army on Thursday, which resulted in the rescue of seven abducted students from Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, with three of the kidnappers reportedly neutralised during the operation.