The farmers were freed at night, according to sources close to the victims.

“It is true. The farmers have been set free and released to their families,” a source told the newsmen.

He revealed that the seven farmers were set free along a forest in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, after the abductors had collected a ransom of N5 million and food items.

The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Ayanlade Olayinka, was not immediately available for comment when contacted.

However, a security source in the State Police Command, who does not want to be identified, confirmed the release of farmers in a terse to our reporter.

The farmers were reportedly seized over the weekend while harvesting palm fruits on their farmland when the assailants struck.

Family sources had claimed that the kidnappers contacted them and asked for N100 million ransom for the release of the abductees.

In the midst of the negotiation with the victims’ families, the abductors reduced the ransom to N20 million.

Following the incident, operatives of the Amotekun Corps who were on a mission to rescue the farmers came under heavy attack in the hands of the marauders who opened fire and injured three officials.