The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of three staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan, assuring that efforts are underway to secure their safe release and arrest those responsible.

The incident was confirmed on Friday, October 9, 2026, by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, in a statement issued in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

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According to the police, the victims were abducted while inspecting crops on a farm within the institute’s premises. The command said it had launched an operation to rescue the workers and track down their abductors.

“Upon receiving the report, the command immediately commenced intensive efforts to secure the safe rescue of the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” Ayanlade said.

He added that a manhunt had been launched and operational efforts were ongoing to ensure the victims’ safe return and bring those responsible to justice.

The police also appealed to members of the public with credible information that could assist the investigation to report to the nearest police station or contact the command through its established emergency channels.

The abduction comes amid renewed concerns over kidnapping incidents in parts of the country.

In a separate incident, 20 of 30 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were abducted in Imo State regained their freedom on Friday, according to the report.

The prospective corps members were reportedly travelling in two buses from Oyo State to their orientation camps in Abia State when they were kidnapped along the Owerri-Onitsha road in the Umunoha area of Imo State.

The report said the 20 victims regained their freedom seven days after the abduction, while the remaining 10 escaped through the bush.

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The Oyo State Police Command has not disclosed further details about the identities of the three CRIN workers or the circumstances surrounding their abduction. Police operations to secure their release remain ongoing.