Suspected bandits have abducted a nursing mother and her baby along the dilapidated Supare–Ayegunle Road in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, throwing the community into fear and renewed outrage over insecurity and poor infrastructure.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the woman was travelling to a nearby market when the gunmen struck at a bad stretch of the road, forcing her and her child into a nearby forest.
Residents said the Supare–Ayegunle axis, which has remained in a deplorable state for years, has become a haven for criminal elements who take advantage of slow-moving vehicles and the absence of security patrols.
When contacted on Tuesday, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Abayomi, said the command was yet to fully confirm the incident.
“The information available to me for now is still very sketchy. I can’t confirm it yet, but I will get back once there is more clarity,” Abayomi said.
However, a close relative of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction, saying the family had been plunged into distress.
According to the source, the husband of the abducted woman, a furniture maker based in Akungba-Akoko, has been appealing to security agencies and local authorities to intensify efforts to rescue his wife and baby unharmed.
“This is a helpless family. The man has been going round, begging security operatives to act fast. We are all traumatised,” the source said.
The incident has reignited concerns among residents over the worsening security situation in parts of the state, particularly along poorly maintained rural roads.
Community members recalled that last year, suspected bandits attacked a Divisional Police Station in Ipele, Owo Local Government Area, on New Year’s Eve, heightening fears about the spread of armed groups in forested areas of Ondo State.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has repeatedly assured residents that his administration will not relent in flushing out criminals hiding in forest reserves across the state.
Meanwhile, locals are urging the government to urgently rehabilitate the Supare–Ayegunle Road and deploy more security personnel to the area, warning that failure to act could expose more residents to attacks.
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