No fewer than eight people have been kidnapped between Araromi Opin and Obbo Ile in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara.

A relative of one of the victims, Adekunle Oluwole, disclosed on Thursday in Ilorin that the incident took place on Wednesday evening.

He also mentioned that five of the eight abducted escaped from the kidnappers.

According to him, the victims were returning from the inauguration of Kwara's All Progressives Congress (APC) State Executive Committee from Ilorin.

He listed those involved as Daniel Adewuyi, the Isapa ward chairman in Ekiti local government area; the Eruku ward chairman; women leader of Eruku; women leader of Obbo Ile; chairman of Obbo Ile ward; women leader of Koro ward, and women leader of Isapa ward.

Mr Oluwole added that the member representing Ekiti Constituency at the Kwara House of Assembly, Ganiyu Abolarin, and the Ekiti local government APC chairman, Wale Awelewa, visited the hospital where some of the victims were taken to after they escaped on Wednesday. Some have been discharged from the hospital.

He also confirmed that four Hilux vehicles fully loaded with members of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the area to arrest the kidnappers.

The police spokesman in Kwara Ajayi Okasanmi said he had yet to be briefed about the kidnapping.

Mr Okasanmi, however, promised to keep the public abreast of the situation.