Late Osun Traditionalist’s Abducted Wife Regains Freedom, Family Demands Probe

The family of Oba Adetoyese Olakisan, an Osun-based traditionalist, who was popularly known as Oba Ogboni Agbaye, has cried out.

The family, on Tuesday, called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding an attack on his house during which two of his wives were abducted.

Olakisan’s house in Imesi-Ile, in the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, came under attack late on Sunday when armed men reportedly struck and whisked two of his wives to an undisclosed location.

On Monday, while the traditionalist and two other passengers that accompanied him on a search mission for the victims were returning to Imesi-Ile from Ila, his vehicle was involved in a lone accident, killing all three.

A reliable security source, however, told PUNCH Metro that one of the abducted wives was in the early hours of Tuesday found close to Ikoro Ekiti, in Ekiti State, after escaping from the kidnappers.

A younger brother of the late traditionalist, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, during an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, confirmed that one of the two abductees had been found alive.

Commenting further on what transpired during the Sunday attack on Olakisan’s house, Ekundayo said, “It was true that the assailants who spoke in Yoruba and Fulfulde asked those they met in the house for Ogboni ancient crown and certificate of registration of Ogboni Aborigine. A lot needs to be uncovered. We call on security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are found.

“One of the wives escaped from the abductors and was found near Ikoro Ekiti this morning.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the kidnap of the two wives of the traditionalist to journalists.

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted the police spokesperson as saying that the traditionalist got into a vehicle to search for his wives, but the vehicle veered off the road and rammed into a tree.

He said, “The Ogboni Agbaye and the policeman in charge of Oke-Imesi, were in the vehicle with another woman when they had the lone accident.

“They were rushed to the hospital where they all died later.

“Police operatives are, however, still inside the forest to rescue the kidnapped women.”

Opalola also confirmed the release of a trader kidnapped by gunmen on Ikirun-Osogbo Road on Friday.

She told newsmen that the kidnappers abandoned their female victim in the bush after they got wind that policemen were closing in on them.

Opalola said the victim was going to Ile-Ife, also in Osun State from Ilorin when the kidnappers ambushed the vehicle in which she was travelling.

She said the driver of the vehicle, who managed to escape, alerted the police in Iragbiji town and operatives, with the assistance of local hunters, swung into action, combed the bushes around the scene and rescued the victim.