Gunmen Kidnap 3 Officials of Osun State Government, South West Nigeria

Punch newspaper reports that some gun-totting hoodlums on Friday abducted the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade; Director, State Audit, Mr. Tajudeen Badejoko, and their driver, Mr. Oladapo Arogundade.

Mrs. Adebimpe, Credit: Punch Newspaper

The trio were kidnapped by the gunmen between Obajana and Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on their way to Osogbo, the Osun State capital from Abuja.

They were said to be returning from Abuja where they attended a programme organised by the  World Bank and European Union on local government reform.

The state officials were said to have been stopped by the gunmen, who whisked them away but sources said the fourth official who they identified as an auditor escaped from the grip of the abductors.

A civil servant, who spoke on condition of anonymity told our correspondent that the abduction left workers at the State Secretariat traumatized on Friday when the news filtered into the state.

It was not clear if the kidnappers had contacted the families of the captors or state government as at the time of filing this report.

The Head of Service in Osun State, Mr. Sunday Owoeye, confirmed the abduction of the three civil servants in a statement issued on Friday.

The  statement read, “The State Government of Osun wishes to alert on the unfortunate kidnap of three of its officials today Friday April 22, 2016 in Kogi State.

“The kidnapped officials are the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade; Director, State Audit, Mr. Tajudeen Badejoko, and the Driver, Mr. Oladapo Ajani Arogundade.

“The officials were returning from Abuja where they attended the briefing on the State and Local Government Reforms Project; a World Bank and European Union Programme.

“The Government has alerted all necessary security agencies nationwide in general and Kogi State in particular towards safe release of the three abducted officials.

“We appeal  to all Nigerians for information that could lead to their immediate release.”