Residents of Ilu Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area took to the streets on Monday to protest the rising attacks by gunmen in their neighbourhood following the abduction of a woman, Tomiola Oladehinde, on Sunday evening.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen ambushed Oladehinde at the entrance of her home, shooting at her car’s fuel tank and tyres to force it to stop before abducting her.
“The attackers stormed the area and targeted her vehicle. Neighbours who tried to raise the alarm were also shot at,” an eyewitness said.
“Three people – a man, a woman, and her daughter – were injured during the chaos and were rushed to the hospital immediately.”
The protest saw hundreds of residents barricade roads, carrying placards with messages such as “We say no to banditry,” “Mr Governor, save our souls,” and “We seek Mr Governor’s attention,” while chanting solidarity slogans.
Reverend Johnson Adajah, one of the protest leaders, said, “Four residents were attacked, three were seriously injured, and one person was abducted. We appeal to the governor and security agencies to intervene. We do not want to live in fear in our community.”
Confirming the incident, Abayomi Jimoh, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said about six unidentified gunmen carried out the attack.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the gunmen ambushed John Ofuduwa while he was driving into his residence, shooting him in the process.
Meanwhile, Oladehinde Tomilola was abducted, and two others, Victoria and her 11-year-old daughter Victoria Olorunfemi, sustained gunshot injuries. All victims were promptly taken to a hospital for treatment,” Jimoh said.
He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawa, visited the scene to assess the situation and reassured residents that security measures have been reinforced.
“The Commissioner condemned the attack in strong terms and assured the community that tactical and intelligence-driven measures are being strengthened to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent future incidents,” Jimoh noted.
