Four kidnappers were on Friday killed by soldiers in fierce gun battle along Owo/Ifon road in Ose Local Government Council of Ondo State, while four soldiers were reportedly injured.
A source who hinted journalists in Akure, explained that some travellers were held hostage by the kidnappers before arrival of soldiers at the scene.
He said it was a coincidence of event that the troops who were on patrol ran into the barricade of the kidnappers on the road while the kidnappers opened fire on them and the soldiers responded back immediately.
The troops, report said, were careful in exchange of fire with kidnappers in order not to kill those held and eventually four of the kidnappers were eliminated.
The source confirmed that four solddiers sustained various drgrees of injuries from the exchange of fire with kidnappers, but were immediately evacuated and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for medical attention.
According to him, the route was deserted by motorists immediately upon hearing of gunshots for hours.
He said: “an ambush was laid by the kidnappers who successfully abducted some victims while the soldiers who ran into the kidnappers’ roadblock were welcomed with a hail of bullets.
“But they responded promptly and after the fire exchange, four of the kidnappers were said to be killed while four soldiers were hit with bullets. All the captured victims were released after the shoot out.”
The Police Public Relations (PPRO) of Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Tee Leo Ikoro, confirmed that four military men were injured during the attack.
He said some officers of the Command have been drafted into the nearby forest to comb for the fleeing kidnappers.
Leo commended the gallantry of the soldiers, assuring that investigation would be launched into the matter in order to bring the fleeing ones to justice.
However, the Army spokesman, Ayorinde Omojokun, neither confirm nor deny the incident but promised to get back to our reporter on the development.
Meanwhile, in a related development, residents of Owobamigbe Farm settlement, along Ileyo Isagba road, Akure in Akure North local government area of the state flee from the village over fear of attack by herdsmen.
It was gathered that there was a face off between a cassava farmer in the village who met some herdsmen on his farm, harvesting cassava to feed their cattle.
The farmer was said to have been macheted when he made attempt to stop the herdsman who inflicted various degrees of injury on him before he was rescued from the scene by other farmers.
One of the farmers, Mr Michael Abiodun, explained that most of the villagers had started leaving the area over fear of attacks by the herdsmen.
