Kidnappers grab two as police, soldiers escort Epe farmers

Suspected kidnappers, on Tuesday, grabbed two sand dredgers at Eleko village, Ibeju/Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State.

This was even as policemen and soldiers have started escorting workers to the farms at Igbodu and Isiwo area of Epe metropolis.

The kidnappers, who came through the lagoon around 9am, shot sporadically into the air before grabbing two sand dredgers. They dragged the two men into their speedboat at gunpoint and disappeared.

The victims have been identified as the dredging company manager and a machine operator.

One of the workers of the dredging company was hit by a stray bullet on the arm.

A source said: "We were in our various houses when we heard gunshots. After the dust settled, we returned to the scene of the incident. Unfortunately, we found one of the workers in a pool of his blood. We took him to a private clinic in the community for treatment, and then reported the matter to Akodo Police Station. It was when we got to the clinic we knew it was kidnappers that invaded the dredging site. We are calling on the state government and the security agencies to come to our aid."

The dredging company was said to have started operation just January this year.

Uneasy calm has enveloped Epe as security agencies, desperate to curtail activities of kidnappers, started escorting farm workers to farmland.

One of the farm managers, said: “We only go there to water some of our perishable crops. There are some of our crops, which, if we do not water them in a single day, might perish. And some of our livestock may die. The army and police are assisting us by giving us cover to water our farms and livestock.”

When the Acting Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Adeyemi Famous Cole, was contacted on the matter, he said he was not aware of the matter.