Tension gripped residents of Ilu-Abo in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday after suspected gunmen abducted a council secretary and two other persons during an attack on a poultry farm along Kajola Road.
One of the victims, Joseph Aladesuyi, is the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the state.
Aladesuyi was reportedly attacked while heading to his farm in the company of his daughter.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants, believed to be about ten in number, ambushed the victims and began shooting sporadically, causing panic in the area before whisking the council official away to an unknown destination.
A community source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attack happened suddenly and left residents in shock.
“They were heavily armed and started shooting to scare people away. Everyone ran for safety before they took the victims into the bush,” the source said.
Aladesuyi, who also runs a commercial farm in the area, was said to have been travelling to the farm when the gunmen struck. His daughter, however, was reportedly left behind by the attackers.
The incident triggered widespread fear in the community, with many residents expressing concern about the deteriorating security situation.
Parents were also said to have rushed to nearby schools to withdraw their children amid fears of further attacks.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, Jimoh Abayomi, said the police had launched an immediate rescue operation.
“The Ondo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public of a reported case of kidnapping that occurred on Monday, March 9, 2026, at a poultry farm along Kajola Road, Ilu-Abo,” he said.
Abayomi explained that preliminary information indicated that three masked gunmen emerged from a nearby bush and abducted two persons identified as Joseph Kayode and Easter Akinlolu after firing shots into the air.
“Upon receipt of the information, the Command immediately mobilised tactical teams and detectives to the area to commence search and rescue operations and intensify security patrols to prevent further occurrences,” he added.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, has directed that all available operational and intelligence resources be deployed to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of the perpetrators.
Security operatives, alongside local vigilante groups and other non-conventional security outfits, are currently combing nearby forests and surrounding communities in search of the abductors.
The police also appealed to residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information capable of creating unnecessary panic.
“Parents, guardians and community leaders are encouraged to cooperate with the police and other security agencies by providing credible and actionable information that could assist ongoing operations,” Abayomi said.
He assured residents that the command remains committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
Fidelis David
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