Residents of Liberty Avenue in the Iluabo and Ajegunle areas of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State have staged a protest over a violent attack by suspected kidnappers that led to the abduction of a woman and the injury of two other persons.
The incident occurred when about six armed men stormed the community and attacked residents who were returning to their homes.
During the attack, the assailants opened fire on a man identified as John Ofuduwa as he was driving into his residence, leaving him with a gunshot injury.
In the course of the shooting, the gunmen also abducted a neighbour, Oladeinde Tomilola, who was about to enter her compound, and whisked her away to an unknown destination.
Angered by the abduction and what they described as repeated security threats in the area, youths in the community took to the streets, barricaded the Owo–Akure highway, and disrupted vehicular movement.
As a result, motorists and commuters were stranded for several hours while the protesters vented their frustration and demanded urgent government intervention.
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The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, later visited the area with a team of security operatives to restore calm and assess the security situation.
The police boss strongly condemned the attack and assured residents that security measures had been reinforced, with additional tactical and intelligence-driven operations now in place to track down the kidnappers and prevent further attacks.
He also visited the palace of the Oluabo of Iluabo, Oba Oluyemi Falae, where the monarch pledged the support of community vigilante groups to complement police efforts and urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.
Meanwhile, two other victims — a woman identified simply as Victoria and her 11-year-old daughter, Victoria Olorunfemi, were caught in the crossfire while passing through the area and sustained varying degrees of injuries.
All the injured victims were promptly rushed to the hospital and are currently receiving medical treatment.
