By James Ogunnaike

Gunmen have abducted a senior driver with Dangote Cement Company, Ibese Plant, Ogun State, Usman Umar, popularly known as “Baba Olowo,” in Yewa North local government area of the State.

Umar was reportedly abducted around midnight on Wednesday at Ajibawo Village, near Ijako-Orile, shortly after returning home from work.

According to sources, the victim was attacked by three gunmen as he alighted from his motorcycle in front of his residence.

The assailants were said to have dragged him into a nearby bush while firing shots into the air to scare residents and prevent them from intervening.

The incident has reportedly prompted security operatives to commence efforts to locate the victim and apprehend his abductors.

A senior official of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, who confirmed the incident to newsmen on Wednesday, but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said details surrounding the abduction remained sketchy.

He said, “the information as of now is still sketchy. We really don’t know when the said driver was abducted.

“We, however, gathered that it was a Baale within the locality where the driver was living who came to report the abduction incident at the Ibese Plant.

“We definitely believe that the law enforcement agents are equally aware, and they must have been doing their best to ensure that the man regains his freedom and is reunited with his family.”

Efforts to obtain confirmation from the Ogun State Police Command were unsuccessful as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, did not connect.

The circumstances surrounding the abduction, including whether the kidnappers have established contact with the victim’s family, remained unclear at press time.