Panic has enveloped Gbugbu community in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State after gunmen stormed the area and whisked away the owner of Yashashi Pure Water Company in broad daylight on Thursday.
The attack, which occurred while residents were engaged in their daily activities, has heightened concerns over the spread of banditry into the state.
“The gunshots scattered everywhere. People ran for safety; some even abandoned their shops,” an eyewitness said. “The bandits did not touch anyone else. They came only for the factory owner and took him away.”
The incident has left villagers unsettled, with many expressing frustration over the inability of security operatives to check the rising wave of abductions in rural areas.
“If they can strike like this in the afternoon, then nobody is safe,” one resident lamented.
As at Thursday morning, the abducted businessman’s whereabouts were still unknown, while security agencies had not issued any official statement on the incident.