Angry residents of Akure North Local Government Area in Ondo State on Tuesday blocked the Akure–Owo highway after gunmen killed two people and abducted three others in the area.
The protesters placed the corpses of the victims on the road, halting vehicular movement and demanding urgent government intervention over the growing insecurity around communities near the Akure Airport.
The demonstration came barely 24 hours after the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area in Akoko North West Local Government Area, Joseph Aladesuyi, was abducted by suspected bandits. Aladesuyi and two others were reportedly kidnapped on his farm in Ilu-Abo community, close to the airport.
Family sources disclosed that the kidnappers contacted them early Tuesday morning and demanded a ransom of N100 million for his release. According to the source, the abductors spoke briefly during the call and did not allow much conversation.
Residents of Ilu-Abo, Kajola and Owode communities said they blocked the highway to protest what they described as the government’s failure to address the persistent cases of kidnapping and killings in the area.
They said gunmen attacked again on Tuesday morning, killing two residents and abducting three others, which further triggered the protest. The demonstrators vowed not to reopen the road until the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, visits the community to address their concerns.
Tension rose when the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, visited the scene but was turned back by the protesters, who refused his appeal to allow free movement of vehicles.
Lawal assured them that security agencies, including the police and Amotekun Corps, would strengthen security in the area to protect lives and property.
During the protest, residents displayed placards with messages such as “We Are Dying, Save Our Souls,” “Mr Governor, Please Assist Us,” and “We Cannot Go to Farms Again.”
The blockade caused heavy traffic on the highway, a major route linking the southern and northern parts of the country.
A resident lamented that kidnapping incidents had become frequent along the airport road, forcing many farmers to abandon their farms due to fear.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, Abdullahi Lawal, believed to be behind several abductions in the Ikare-Akoko area.
According to the police spokesperson, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, the suspect had earlier escaped despite sustaining gunshot injuries during a confrontation with police officers. After months of intelligence tracking, he was eventually arrested in Ikare-Akoko and has made confessional statements. Police said he will be charged in court.
In a related development, residents of Jobele in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State also staged a protest over rising kidnapping and banditry in their community.
The demonstrators blocked the Ibadan–Oyo Road, disrupting both vehicular and human movement as they demanded stronger security measures.
According to the protesters, suspected kidnappers attempted to abduct a woman in the area on Monday, but she escaped by climbing a fence. However, she sustained a deep machete wound on her hand during the attack.
A community leader, Dolapo Awotunde of Ward 8, said the local government had recorded at least seven kidnapping incidents in recent times.
He also revealed that another victim was seriously injured in an attack between Saturday night and Sunday morning and later had one of his hands amputated due to the severity of the injuries.
The incident sparked outrage among residents and students, who blocked major roads in the area to demand improved security and accountability over the release of a suspect allegedly linked to the crimes.
Reacting to the protest, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, said the Commissioner of Police had deployed the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer to the area to restore normalcy.
