Gunmen abducted a popular trader identified as Alhaja Nusirat and inflicted machete injuries on the head of a farmer during the attack in Iyemero Ekiti community in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The hoodlums were said to have fired gunshots sporadically to scare residents during the attack.
Sources said the five gunmen, who struck on Saturday around 8pm, grabbed the woman and dragged her into a forest bordering Kwara and Kogi states.
According to PUNCH, a source, who gave details of the attack, said, “The gunmen were in a part of the town, pretending to be buyers. They waited till nightfall and suddenly, we heard gunshots that lasted for about five minutes. With this, we knew something was wrong.
“They followed the woman into her shop, grabbed and dragged her into the forest as they shot indiscriminately to scare people.
“In the process, a farmer, who was at the shop and attempted to struggle with them, was shot. They also drew out a sharp cutlass and inflicted a deep cut on his head. He is receiving treatment in a hospital.”
Another source, who said the police, hunters, Amotekun corps and vigilantes had begun combing the forest, said, “The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ikole area, who visited the community around 7.12am on Sunday, assured that the woman would be brought back hale and hearty by security operatives, who he said would also arrest the perpetrators of the crime.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State, Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, said policemen, hunters and Amotekun corps were already combing the surrounding bushes to rescue the trader.
Abutu said, “We have begun serious work on the matter. We are working with other security agencies to track down these evil-doers.”