Residents of Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State were thrown into panic on Monday as suspected kidnappers invaded the area, abducted two persons and forced nearby schools to shut down.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the gunmen stormed the community around 10 a.m., firing sporadically into the air before abducting the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area in Akoko North-West Local Government Area, Joseph Kayode, and a woman identified as Esther Akinlolu.
The attack reportedly occurred near a poultry farm along Kajola Road in Ilu-Abo, a community located close to the Akure Airport.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers emerged from a nearby bush, laid an ambush and whisked the victims away to an unknown destination.
Following the incident, panic gripped residents, prompting parents to hurriedly withdraw their children from schools in Ilu-Abo and neighbouring communities over fears of further attacks.
Confirming the incident on Monday, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, SP Jimoh Abayomi, said three armed men wearing masks carried out the attack.
According to him, the victims were abducted while Kayode was on his way to his farm.
“The assailants reportedly fired sporadically into the air before whisking the victims away to an unknown destination,” Abayomi said.
He added that the police had launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and intensified security operations in the area.
“Upon receipt of the information, the command immediately mobilised tactical teams and detectives to the affected area to commence search and rescue operations, as well as intensify security patrols to prevent further occurrences,” he said.
Abayomi further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, had directed the deployment of all available operational and intelligence resources to secure the safe rescue of the victims and arrest those responsible.
“Security operatives alongside non-conventional security outfits are currently combing nearby forests and surrounding communities as part of ongoing efforts to track down the perpetrators,” he added.
The police spokesperson appealed to residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information that could aid ongoing rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the incident has heightened fears among residents as cases of kidnapping and violent attacks continue to rise in parts of the state.
Only last week, two persons were reportedly shot dead by gunmen along Agunla Farm Road.
In another incident along Pelepe Road, off Oda Road, a man was shot while his wife was abducted by suspected kidnappers.
Similarly, worshippers who were recently abducted from a Celestial Church in Uso community in Owo Local Government Area regained their freedom after spending several days in captivity.
The victims were reportedly released on March 2 after their families allegedly paid a ransom of about ₦9 million.
Concerned by the growing wave of insecurity in the South-West, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, recently warned that the region was gradually coming under siege by terrorists and bandits.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the group urged the Federal Government, state governors and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the rising spate of kidnappings and violent crimes across the region.
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