Armed men have abducted a 33-year-old poultry farmer, Oreoluwa Osonuga, at the Ikenne Farm Settlement in Ogun State, demanding N500 million for his release. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, August 9, 2026, at approximately 12:05 p.m., according to a statement from the settlement's chairman, Seye Kehinde.
Kidnapping Details and Initial Response
Kehinde confirmed the incident in a statement released on Monday, describing how Osonuga was accosted while leaving the farm. "He is a poultry farmer and was on his way out of the farm when he was accosted by gunmen, who shot at his car and forced him into the bush," the statement read. Security personnel were promptly invited, and military men were deployed from Ilese, but their combing of the forest yielded no tangible results.
The kidnappers briefly contacted the victim's family, demanding N500 million. According to Kehinde, the abductors made a brief call on Sunday evening around 5 p.m. to a cousin of the victim's father, using Osonuga's handset on the MTN network. The Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been briefed on the efforts being made by his men.
No Breakthrough After Two Days
Despite round-the-clock efforts by police, anti-kidnapping units, soldiers, and other security operatives, there has been no major breakthrough two days after the abduction. "Today is Day 2. No significant development on either the rescue or release of kidnapped Oreoluwa Osonuga," Kehinde stated. He also noted that there has been no further contact from the abductors since the initial demand.
Kehinde highlighted a previous incident in the settlement: "It is on record that four months ago, on April 1, 2026, one of the farmers in the Settlement was kidnapped. He was in captivity for days before he was released after paying a ransom."
Family Pleads for Intensified Efforts
The victim's granduncle, Soga Osonuga, confirmed the incident to PUNCH, describing it as a source of deep anxiety and distress for the family. "It is true that my nephew was abducted on Sunday, his father is the last born of our parents and I was there when a call was put across to him on Sunday," he said. He added that the family had been left shaken, noting that his nephew was simply trying to contribute meaningfully to food production in the country.
"It has been a very difficult time for the family, we are emotionally and psychologically upset. This is a young man that is trying and struggling to do something reasonable with his life and make the two ends meet and for such a young man to be facing something like this has thrown the family, friends, and well-wishers into a state of unnecessary anxiety," Soga Osonuga said. He pleaded with the government and security agencies to act fast and help bring back his nephew safely.
