Tension gripped parts of Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday morning as residents of Ilu-Abo community barricaded the Akure-Owo Airport Road in protest following a suspected kidnapping attack that reportedly left one person dead and three others abducted.
The latest incident, which occurred late Monday night, involved heavily armed men who stormed the community, firing sporadically and creating panic among residents before abducting three individuals. Eyewitnesses said one of the victims was shot during the attack and later died from his injuries.
The protest came less than 24 hours after a local government official was reportedly abducted near the Akure Airport, further heightening fears over the worsening security situation in the area.
Angry residents blocked the busy expressway with logs, tires, and other debris, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours. Some carried the lifeless body of the victim, chanting protest songs and demanding urgent government intervention.
Residents expressed frustration over the perceived inaction of the authorities. “Almost every day now, we hear about kidnappings around the airport road. Yesterday, a council secretary was kidnapped, and today, one person has been killed while three others were abducted. The government is not doing anything to protect us,” a resident lamented, calling on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to personally intervene.
Another protester said, “Kidnappers operate freely here, and nobody is safe. We have reported several times, but nothing has changed. That is why we blocked the road so the government will hear us.”
The protest caused significant traffic congestion, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours. Despite intervention from the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, who assured residents that additional police units and the State Security Network (Amotekun) would be deployed, many insisted they would not vacate the road until their safety concerns were addressed.
The police chief also visited the monarch of Ilu-Abo, Oba Olu Falae, to brief him on the measures being taken to curb insecurity in the town. Lawal promised heightened security presence, including deployment of tactical units to monitor the community.
The attack has amplified fears over a rising wave of kidnappings and violent crimes in parts of Ondo State, particularly around the Akure Airport axis and adjoining rural communities, where residents say insecurity has escalated in recent months.
