The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of a local government council secretary and a woman by armed gunmen at a poultry farm in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement released on Monday, the command's spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, identified the victims as Joseph Kayode and Esther Akinlolu. According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria, Kayode serves as the secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area in Akoko North-West Local Government Area.
The incident occurred on Monday morning at a farm along Kajola Road, Ilu-Abo. Jimoh revealed that preliminary information available to the command indicates that three armed men, who were masked and suspected to have emerged from a nearby bush, invaded the poultry farm.
"The assailants reportedly fired sporadically into the air before whisking the victims away to an unknown destination," the police spokesperson stated.
Upon receiving the information, the police command immediately mobilized tactical teams and detectives to the affected area to commence search and rescue operations. Authorities have also intensified security patrols to prevent further occurrences.
Jimoh disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, has directed the deployment of all available operational and intelligence resources to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the apprehension of the suspects.
"Security operatives, alongside non-conventional security outfits, are currently combing nearby forests and surrounding communities as part of ongoing efforts to track down the perpetrators," he added.
The abduction has generated significant concern among residents, particularly parents and school authorities, leading to the temporary closure of schools in the area as a precautionary measure.
Jimoh urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that may cause 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," he said.
The police spokesperson emphasized that the command remains committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property across Ondo State. He assured residents that law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to secure the victims' release and bring the perpetrators to justice.
This latest incident adds to growing concerns about security in Nigeria's South-West region, where farming communities have increasingly become targets for criminal elements. The abduction of public officials has also raised alarms about the vulnerability of local government workers in rural areas.
As search operations continue, family members and colleagues of the abducted victims await news of their safe return, hoping for swift intervention by security forces.
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