Unknown gunmen have kidnapped four farmers in Ekiti, demanding N50 million ransom to secure their release.

The police command in Ekiti on Tuesday confirmed the kidnapping of the farmers.

The abduction came barely a week after a traditional ruler, Benjamin Osho, the Eleda of Eda Ile, in Ekiti East local government area, was kidnapped, with his captors demanding N20 million ransom.

Sources said the gunmen kidnapped the farmers on Monday evening in Ikosu Farm Settlement in Ikosu-Ekiti, Moba local government area.

Commenting, Olawumi Ayodeji, the farm manager, told journalists in Ado-Ekiti that the abductors called on Tuesday to demand N50 million ransom.

The spokesman for the police Sunday Abutu said the command had deployed policemen to comb the forest surrounding Ikosun-Ekiti up to the Kwara border.

“We are not aware of any ransom being demanded from the family. Rather, our men are in the bush working hard to rescue the farmers.

“We are working in conjunction with the Amotekun Corps and local hunters.

“We believe that with the level of security measures we have put in place, we are sure that we will rescue them and probably get the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” said Mr Abutu.

(NAN)