Five victims who were abducted in Isanlu Isin in the Isin local government area of Kwara State on Thursday evening have been rescued by the police.

The five victims who some gunmen abducted between Ijara Isin and Isanlu Isin after sporadic shootings were rescued from the forest not far from the locality through the combined efforts of local hunters, vigilantes, and policemen on Saturday night.

Those rescued according to a press statement released by the state’s police command included a deacon of First Baptist Church, Isanlu Isin, Femi Ajayi, and his father, Mr Dipe Ajayi, Kunle Abolarin and Femi Abolarin, all of Oke-Aran, Isanlu-Isin as well as one Mr Oke Olatunji who was rescued in a Toyota Sienna bus used by the kidnappers for the operation.

The statement issued on Sunday morning by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, said that the unfortunate kidnapping incident took place in Isanlu-Isin on July 13, 2023, at about 1700 hrs.

“Acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit stationed within the Isin axis, alongside local hunters and vigilantes swung into action and gave the abductors a hot chase, leading to the abandonment of the Siena bus conveying the victims at the time of the incident and one of the victims named Oke Olatunji was rescued by the team.

“Today the CP personally led another special tactical team on a search and rescue operation into the forests within Isin, in the process another victim identified as  Femi Ajayi, with a bullet injury was rescued and brought to the health centre in Isanlu-Isin, where he is currently receiving medical attention.

“At the palace of HRH Oba Olugbenga Oloyede Solomon the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin. The CP met vigilantes, hunters, and other community leaders, where issues affecting the area, in general, were discussed and strategies and plans were implemented to forestall any further ugly occurrences as efforts are still being doubled to free the remaining victims and arrest the criminals.

“The remaining three kidnapped victims in Isanlu-Isin have been released as a result of the pressure asserted by the command tactical teams and the vigilante led by CP Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi late yesterday night,” the statement said.