Abductors Demand N200 Million Ransom for Kwara Petrol Dealer and Manager

Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped a petrol dealer, Alhaji Abbas, and his manager, Abubakar Issa, in Gbugbu, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, and are now demanding a N200 million ransom for their release.

The abduction occurred on Friday evening after work hours at Daniyan Shaba Global Investment filling station, located within the recently rehabilitated Gbugbu International Market in Kwara North Senatorial District.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, stormed the petrol station, stole an undisclosed amount of money, and set ablaze a Toyota Sienna vehicle parked on the premises. The violence culminated in the abduction of both men, who were forcibly taken into a nearby forest believed to be a base for criminal gangs.

Sources revealed that Alhaji Abbas had previously survived an attack by bandits, making Friday’s incident even more alarming.
“This is not the first time Alhaji Abbas has been targeted,” a community source noted. “The fact that they succeeded this time, abducting both him and his manager, is very concerning.”

The incident has heightened tensions in Gbugbu and surrounding communities, with residents calling for immediate government intervention to tackle the escalating insecurity in Edu Local Government Area.

“Our farmers are already worried,” said an eyewitness who preferred to remain anonymous. “The rainy season is here, and with the growing insecurity, many will be too scared to go to their farms. This could severely affect food production in the area, which is known as the food basket of Kwara State.”

As of Sunday morning, the whereabouts of Alhaji Abbas and Abubakar Issa remained unknown. Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, were unsuccessful as calls and messages to her phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.