Kidnappers Strike Again in Oyo as CRIN Workers Are Abducted in Ibadan

Segun Atanda/

Fresh fears over insecurity in Oyo State have emerged after gunmen abducted two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan.

The Oyo State Police Command confirmed on Wednesday that the victims, both employees of the research institute, were abducted by armed men at the institute’s staff quarters on Monday, May 18.

Police spokesperson, CSP Olushola Ayanlade, said tactical teams had since launched a rescue operation, with officers combing nearby forests and deploying technology-driven tracking methods to locate the victims.

According to him, two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the abduction.

“As I speak to you, we have two suspects in custody in connection with the kidnapping,” Ayanlade told journalists.

The police, however, refuted widespread social media reports alleging that pupils and staff of a school in Abanla, Oluyole Local Government Area, were kidnapped during a coordinated attack.

Ayanlade clarified that although a kidnapping incident occurred in the Abanla area on May 16, it did not happen within a school premises and no pupils were abducted.

He identified the victim in that separate incident as Adeleke Ridwan, adding that security agencies were still investigating the case and no rescue had yet been made.

CRIN, established in 1964, is one of Nigeria’s foremost agricultural research institutions and plays a major role in cocoa, kola, coffee and cashew research.

The institute and surrounding communities in Oluyole Local Government have witnessed growing security concerns in recent months.

In March, police confirmed another abduction incident involving four persons around the CRIN area, with one victim later rescued.

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