Petrol Dealer, Manager Kidnapped in Kwara as Gunmen Raid Market Filling Station, Demand N200m Ransom
Panic has gripped residents of Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State following the brazen abduction of a prominent petrol dealer, Alhaji Abbas, and his manager, Abubakar Issa, by a group of unidentified armed men.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday evening at the Daniyan Shaba Global Investment filling station, located within the newly rehabilitated Gbugbu International Market in Kwara North Senatorial District.
According to eyewitness accounts, the victims were abducted shortly after the close of business for the day. The assailants, who were said to have arrived on motorcycles, stormed the premises and carried out a coordinated attack.
During the violent operation, they looted an undisclosed sum of money from the station and set ablaze a Toyota Sienna vehicle that was found parked within the compound.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying, with many traders and customers in the market fleeing for safety. The armed men reportedly fired sporadically into the air to create panic and ensure little to no resistance during the attack.
Sources within the community disclosed that the attackers retreated into a nearby forest, which is believed to serve as a hideout for criminal elements operating in the region.
“This is not the first time Alhaji Abbas has been attacked,” a source close to the victim revealed. “He narrowly escaped a previous attempt on his life. This latest incident shows a pattern and has left many people in fear.”
The kidnappers have since made contact with the families of the victims, reportedly demanding a ransom of two hundred million naira (N200 million) for their release. This has further escalated tensions in the area, with community leaders and residents expressing concern over the increasing wave of insecurity in Edu LGA.
A female eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, raised alarm over the wider implications of such criminal activities on the community’s livelihood. “Gbugbu is a vital agricultural hub,” she said. “We are entering the rainy season, and our farmers need to go to their farmlands. If this insecurity continues, people may be too scared to go to the fields. That would be disastrous for food production in the area.”
The residents of Gbugbu have now called on the Kwara State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene by increasing security presence in the area and launching a manhunt for the perpetrators. Many expressed frustration at what they described as the slow response of the police to previous reports of threats in the region.
As of Sunday morning, the whereabouts of Alhaji Abbas and his manager remained unknown. Several efforts to get a statement from the Kwara State Police Command have been unsuccessful. The command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, did not respond to calls or messages sent to her phone via SMS and WhatsApp.
The situation continues to generate widespread concern, with civil society groups, local leaders, and citizens urging authorities to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the safe return of the abducted individuals and restore peace in Edu LGA.