Three Kidnapped Victims Released in Oyo State After Family Pays N3m Ransom, Authorities Mum

Three kidnapped victims, Olufunke Esther Oyelami Nee Olabiran, Samuel Adeoye and Samuel Olabiran, abducted in the area of Aboyade Awe farm settlement, Oyo, Oyo State on February 9, have been released after the family paid N3m ransom.

A family member identified only as Yetunde on Instagram posted a “thank you” message on Thursday after the victims were released.

The “thank you,” message was preceded by a series of posts four days ago announcing the abduction of the trio while coming from their farm last Sunday.

According to the post, “On Sunday evening, my mom and my two young cousins were kidnapped on our farmland in Oyo. She called my dad to say they were on their way home, but the call was suddenly cut off. My dad rushed to the farm, only to find our car’s abandoned doors and windows open.”

Upon the kidnap, the kidnappers established contact with the family and demanded N300 million, giving them 3pm on Monday as the final deadline. The family bargained, and the ransom was eventually reduced to N3m, which Yetunde said they paid after crowdfunding online.

This subsequent event led to the release of the trio on Thursday.

Yetunde alleges that the case of kidnapping of her family members is few among many cases in Oyo State. This has been found truthful as between January to February 2025, there have been serious kidnap cases in Oyo State, the majority of which are underreported.

For instance, on January 28, gunmen attacked a petrol station in Iseyin, Oyo State, killed one person and abducted another. “The killers had reportedly targeted the station owner for abduction but did not find him on-site,” HumAngle reports.

By January 30, a young man, Opeyemi Araoye was abducted by unknown gunmen in the Awe area of Oyo Town, Oyo State. The assailants reportedly invaded the residence of Alhaji Tijani Oladimeji, the victim’s nephew, forcefully entered the compound, fired a gunshot into the air, and took Araoye. They later demanded N100m but until now, nothing has been heard of Araoye.

Security Threat Under Governor Seyi Makinde Alarming

Barely two years after Governor Seyi Makinde was elected to the Oyo State Government House, the Oyo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, was launched to combat security challenges in the State.

A year after the launch on January 15, 2021, Governor Makinde promised to end security challenges in the state with the new security agency. But this was far-fetched as between March 15th and June 15th, Daily Post reported that 57 Oyo residents were kidnapped, with PIJAlance reporting that some of the residents kidnapped were killed.

Governor Makinde has always raised an alarm about kidnap cases in Oyo State while reiterating the commitment of the administration to end security challenges. Just yesterday (Thursday), the Governor was among the Southwest State Governors who met to discuss security threats, along with other challenges facing the region.

However, the efforts of the Oyo State Government on security challenges in the state are not enough. Yetunde raised concerns that the state’s security is completely compromised and lacks security equipment, essential to infiltrate the hideouts of kidnappers.

Yetunde wrote, berating the security infrastructure in the state: “Imagine not a single police station in Oyo town has a tracking device. Not one! When we reported the case, we were met with helplessness, frustration, and no real solution. How are we in 2025 and basic security infrastructure is still nonexistent?”

Disappointed by the security agency’s lack of needed infrastructure to effectively do their work, it leaves Yetunde’s family to bargain N300m to N3m and pay the kidnappers.

Read Also: INVESTIGATION: How Oyo State Schools Suffer Poor Sanitation Due to Weak Education Policies

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