Gun-wielding hoodlums again stormed the Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted a man identified only as Dr. Rasheed.

The man is said to have a private clinic where he treats patients from the communities in the area.

His abduction was said to have caused panic among residents and farmers in the area because he was abducted 72 hours after kidnappers released Christopher Bakare; who is the supervisor of a farm owned by the late ex-governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala.

An account noted that the gunmen suspected to be Fulani invaded his clinic at around 9 pm on Friday and whisked him away, while another version indicated that he was waylaid on the highway and taken away by his captors.

The abduction was said to have been reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Orile Igbon and police were said to have swung into action.

One of the sources, who is a farmer, told our correspondent during an interview that residents were now living in fear due to the incidents.

He said, “Kidnapping is now happening in the area and government security agencies should curb it quickly.

“Akala farms’ supervisor was kidnapped last week and this latest one happened just after the supervisor was released. How can farmers who work in the bush go there now? Kidnappers have turned the place into their theatre of operations and the government should come to our aid.”

However, some medical doctors in Ogbomoso told Sunday PUNCH that the victim was not a medical doctor but a quack who owned a private clinic in the Gbede community which is a boundary between Oyo and Kwara states.

Contacted, the state police spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, said that an investigation had begun into the incident.

Osifeso, while confirming the incident, told our correspondent that, “Investigation is in progress. The update will be provided accordingly.”

Meanwhile, the state Deputy Governor, Adebayo Lawal, has called on the people of the state to continue maintaining peace and keep praying for the same in the state.

Lawal, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, said this on Friday after the Jumat prayer at the Oja’ba Central Mosque, Ibadan.

He said, “This administration is for peace and there is no other way we can achieve that or continue to achieve that except by prayers. Nigeria is in turmoil – banditry, kidnapping, and all sorts of crimes. If you isolate Oyo State, you will discover that the crime rate here is at its lowest ebb and we want to maintain that.

“There is no other thing we can aspire to achieve if security is not there. As Muslims, we must continue to pray for stability, peace, and prosperity.”