By Our Reporter
Protest erupted on Monday in Ilu-Abo community, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, as residents took to the streets and blocked the busy Akure Airport–Owo Expressway over rising insecurity and frequent abductions in the area.
The peaceful demonstration, which paralysed traffic and left travellers stranded for several hours, followed a Sunday night attack in which gunmen reportedly abducted a woman while shooting three other persons.
The incident, which occurred at about 8:00 p.m. along Liberty Avenue, heightened fears among residents who said criminal activities had become unchecked in the community.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers ambushed the victims as they were entering their residences, firing multiple shots that damaged a vehicle’s tyres and fuel tank before abducting one of the occupants.
Two neighbours who attempted to intervene were reportedly shot, one in the head and another in the stomach, while an 11-year-old girl also sustained injuries.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said about six armed men opened fire on one John Ofuduwa while he was driving into his residence.
He added that a neighbour, Oladeinde Tomilola, was abducted during the attack, while Victoria and her daughter, Victoria Olorunfemi, aged 11, sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to hospital for medical attention.
Angered by the incident, youths, women and community leaders barricaded the highway with logs, stones and other objects, chanting solidarity songs and demanding urgent intervention from the government and security agencies.
Protesters said they could no longer sleep with their “two eyes closed,” alleging that kidnappers were now operating freely in the area.
They called for the establishment of a permanent military or security checkpoint in Ilu-Abo to deter criminals and restore confidence.
The blockade disrupted vehicular movement on the strategic route linking Akure to Owo and other parts of the state, causing long delays for commuters and commercial drivers.
In response, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, visited the community to assess the situation and engage residents.
Describing the attack as a senseless act of violence, Lawal assured the community that security had been reinforced with additional tactical and intelligence-driven deployments to ensure the swift arrest of the perpetrators and prevent a recurrence.
The police commissioner also visited the palace of the Oluabo of Iluabo, Oba Samuel Oluyemi Falae, who condemned the attack and pledged the support of the traditional council to law enforcement efforts.
The monarch said community vigilantes would be mobilised to assist security agencies and urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information.
The assessment was also attended by the Commander of the 32 Brigade Artillery of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Justin Ifeanyi, who assured that the military would provide necessary support to ensure the rescue of the abducted victim and the apprehension of the attackers.
The Ondo State Police Command reiterated that intensive efforts were ongoing, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services and other security agencies, to rescue the abducted victim and bring all those responsible for the attack to justice, while urging members of the public to cooperate with security agencies to enhance community safety.
