Ogun timber trader missing after hiring ‘mysterious’ trucker to drive him home

A 45-year-old timber trader, Yemi Kehinde, has remained missing days after mysteriously disappearing as he returned from a business trip.

Mr. Kehinde is believed to have been kidnapped while his goods worth N1.6million were seized by the man he hired to drive him home.

The commercial driver is on the run.

Mr. Kehinde, who is the vice chairman of Ogun State Branch of Planks Sellers Association, Alafia Unit, Lafenwa, Abeokuta, had on Thursday travelled to Owa-Oni town of Ondo State to buy timber, and later employed the service of a haulage company to convey the products to Abeokuta.

The firm is located at Ibafo town in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

However, while returning to Abeokuta, colleagues of the victim said they lost telephone contact with him somewhere in Owena town of Ondo State.

A search party raised failed to locate the man and the driver.

It was later discovered that the truck used for conveying the planks was parked at the company’s premises in Ibafo without the goods and Mr. Kehinde.

The driver, who is the suspect, was found to have changed his phone number.

The company’s management traced his guarantor to Kogi State, yet he was not seen or arrested at the time of this report.

The unit chairman of the plank sellers’ association, Musulimi Obayomi, said the police was contacted but nothing has changed.

When contacted, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, saying the truck used for the operation had been impounded, while further investigation into the matter was ongoing.