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There is hope that Olubunmi Agbana, the father of, an Gbenga
Agbana, assistant editor at Punch newspapers, who was kidnapped on his farm at
Irele-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Saturday by some
gun-wielding youth, may regain his freedom soon.

The 74-year-old captive was overpowered and bundled into the
booth of his car before being driven away after arriving at his farm..

A security source told NEXT via telephone that operatives of the
State Security Service and the police were close to making arrests in
connection with the kidnap. “The SSS has a clue to what is going on concerning
the incident and they may swoop on some person any moment from now,” the source
said. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ekiti State, Jimoh
Mohammed, also via telephone, stated that the police were working hard to free
the man from his captors.

The PPRO, who declined information on their strategies, said
they were closing in on the abductors of the elderly man.

Mr Agbana, who has relocated to Ado-Ekiti to follow up his
father’s release, told journalists on Monday that his father’s car, a Nissan
Primera, had been found where it was abandoned by the kidnappers.

Abandoned car

He said that the cap the abductors used to blindfold his father
when he was being taken away was also found in the car, and some other
instruments used for the operation.

“We have found his car where it was abandoned. The car was
abandoned at Ayedun. It has been taken to the police station with all the
instruments used for the operation. A cap used to blindfold him was found in
the car and other things,” he said.

The incident has generated several reactions, as prominent
persons in the state have condemned the act, saying it was strange to the
culture of the people of Ekiti.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Taiwo Olatubosun,
while condemning the act, urged residents to be vigilant and supply security
agencies with useful information to foil criminal activities.

Kidnappers early in the year, abducted the Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Adeleye
Orisagbemi and the then provost of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti,
Gabriel Olowoyo and four others. Five of those kidnapped by the gunmen died in
an auto crash in Kogi State while they were being driven to their captors’
hideout.