Abducted Cocoa Farmers Regain Freedom After Ransom Payment

​IBADAN – The three remaining members of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Ogun State Chapter, who were abducted earlier this week, have safely regained their freedom.

​The victims—Ayebusiwa Toyin, Ayebusiwa Tayo, and Omosoluyi Omoseyimi—were released in the early hours of Saturday, March 21, 2026, following the payment of a ransom by their families.

​The farmers were part of a five-man delegation on a familiarization visit to the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Idi-Ayunre, Ibadan, when they were intercepted by gunmen on Wednesday. While two others, Apostle William Solomon and Rufus Megbowon, were released shortly after the incident on health grounds, the remaining three were held in captivity for three days.

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​According to a statement by the CFAN National President, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, the release occurred between 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. at an undisclosed location in Ogun State. However, the handover was marred by tension when an unidentified gunshot caused the victims to lose coordination and awareness of their surroundings temporarily.

​”The duo of Ayebusiwa Toyin and Ayebusiwa Tayo were successfully helped by the Amotekun Corps guiding a quarry site located in their vicinity, while Omosoluyi Omoseyimi was able to safely reach out to the Association at about 8:30 a.m. today,” Adegoke stated.

​The association expressed profound gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Service (DSS), and the Amotekun Corps of both Oyo and Ogun States for their roles in the rescue efforts.

​Despite the successful release, CFAN has issued an urgent call to the Federal Government and the management of CRIN to significantly bolster security measures around the institute’s facilities to prevent a recurrence of such “illicit activities.”