Gunmen kidnap son-in-law of veteran journalist in Ogun, demand N500 million ransom

The son-in-law of veteran journalist Ayo Akinyemi has been kidnapped in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. Ayo Akinyemi is also a former Managing Director of the defunct Monitor newspaper.

The victim, Oreoluwa Osunuga, is a businessman who runs a poultry farm. He was taken by armed men on Sunday afternoon as he was leaving his farm to handle some business matters.

Osunuga was reportedly driving out of the farm to buy fuel and deliver poultry products when the gunmen stopped him and took him away.

The police were informed about the incident, and officers from the Ikenne Divisional Police Headquarters went to the scene. They recovered a 2017 Toyota Highlander car that belonged to the victim.

Things became more worrying when the kidnappers called Mr Osunuga's family using his phone. They demanded a ransom of ₦500 million for his release.

As of the time of this report, no one knows where Mr Osunuga is. The Ogun State Police Command has not released any statement about the case.

His kidnapping has raised concerns among residents and business owners in the area. This is especially true for those whose farms and businesses are located far from main settlements.

Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Olubode Ojajuni, confirmed the kidnapping to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning. He said the police have started efforts to rescue the victim and that they are making progress.

“We got the report of the kidnapping case and we are currently doing our investigation and making progress to rescue the victims,” Mr Ojajuni said.

The abduction of Mr Osunuga adds to a series of recent kidnappings in the area. This shows that there are ongoing security issues that residents face, especially near forests and rural locations.