Gunmen Abduct Four Family Members on Farm in Babanla Community

Four members of a family have been abducted by suspected gunmen while working on their farmland in Babanla community, Ifelodun Local Government Area, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The victims were said to have gone to the farm as early as 5 a.m. when the incident occurred.

Confirming the development in a telephone interview, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Femi Yusuf, expressed concern over the timing of the farm visit amid prevailing security challenges.

“How and why should any sane person go to a farm at 5 a.m.? We all know the situation on the ground; no one needs to be told when it is safe to go about,” he said.

A community source disclosed that the armed men stormed a farmland on the outskirts of Babanla without warning, firing shots into the air to create panic before abducting members of the family.

According to the source, the attackers initially seized five people but later released an elderly man, taking the remaining four victims to an unknown destination.

“They took away four other members of the family after freeing the elderly man,” the source said.

A female resident of the community, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the incident.

“It is true that they abducted four family members on their farmland this morning. They came suddenly and surrounded them. The elderly man was later freed, but four others were taken away,” she said.

As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the abducted victims had not been officially confirmed. The Kwara State Police Command was also yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Meanwhile, residents have appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify patrols and deploy more personnel to rural communities, particularly farm settlements, to prevent further attacks and secure the release of the abducted victims.

Babanla and neighbouring communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area have recorded recurring security challenges, with residents repeatedly lamenting the inadequate presence of security operatives in vulnerable farming areas.