Residents of Ilu Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday staged a street protest over repeated attacks by armed men in the area.
The protest followed the abduction of a resident, Tomiola Oladehinde, who was reportedly seized by gunmen at the entrance of her residence on Sunday evening.
An eyewitness said the attackers stormed the neighbourhood and targeted the victim’s vehicle, shooting at its fuel tank and tyres to force it to stop before abducting her and fleeing to an unknown location.
The eyewitness further disclosed that neighbours who raised the alarm and attempted to seek help were also attacked by the gunmen during the incident.
“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.
Angered by the attack, hundreds of residents took to the streets, blocking major roads while chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with messages such as “We say no to banditry,” “We seek Mr Governor’s attention,” and “Mr Governor, save our souls.”
One of the protest leaders, Reverend Johnson Adajah, said the demonstration was prompted by persistent security lapses in the community.
He explained that four residents were affected during the attack, with three sustaining serious injuries while one person 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.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, said armed men attacked residents, abducted a woman and injured others.
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 neighbour, 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.”
Jimoh added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawa, visited the scene on Monday to assess the situation and engage 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.
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