Residents of the Ilu Abo village in Akure North Local Government Area, Ondo State, took to the streets on Monday to protest the town’s frequent attacks by gunmen.
This came after Tomiola Oladehinde, a woman, was abducted by unknown gunmen at the entrance of her home on Sunday evening.
According to one eyewitness, the incident happened when the shooters entered the area and targeted the victim’s vehicle.
The shooters reportedly shot at the car’s fuel tank and tires, bringing it to a standstill before whisking her away to an unknown location.
The eyewitness further stated that neighbors who raised the alarm and attempted to call for help were shot by the gunman before he fled the area.
“The incident caused a stampede, and during the chaos, three neighbours of the victim were shot — a man, a woman and her daughter, but they were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment,” the eyewitness stated.
The development sparked a protest, with hundreds of residents barricading major roads and carrying placards with inscriptions like “We say no to banditry.” “We seek Mr Governor’s attention,” and “Mr Governor, save our souls,” among others.
Reverend Johnson Adajah, one of the protest leaders, stated that the demonstration was due to security breaches.
He stated that four residents were attacked, three were critically hurt, and one was abducted.
“We are appealing to the governor and the security agencies to look into the issue and protect us. We don’t want to be living in fear in this community,” he said.
In the same vein, Abayomi Jimoh, the state police public relations officer, confirmed the occurrence in a statement on Monday, claiming that gunmen attacked residents, kidnapped the victim, and shot her neighbors.
He said, “Preliminary information revealed that about six armed men, whose identities are yet unknown, ambushed and opened fire on one John Ofuduwa while he was driving into his residence in a Toyota Camry saloon car with Abuja registration number GWA 674 CM, during which he sustained a gunshot injury.
“In the same incident, a neighbor, Oladeinde Tomilola, who was also about to enter her compound, was abducted by the attackers. Furthermore, two other persons, Victoria and her daughter, Victoria Olorunfemi, aged 11, who were passing through the area, sustained varying degrees of injuries as a result of the gunfire.
“However, all injured victims were promptly rushed to hospital for medical attention.”
The PPRO mentioned that the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawa, visited the scene on Monday to assess the situation and engage with community members.
“He condemned the attack in strong terms and reassured residents that existing security frameworks have been reinforced with additional tactical and intelligence-driven measures to ensure the swift arrest of the perpetrators and to forestall any future occurrence,” Jimoh stated.
