ILU-ABO, ONDO STATE – Frustrated residents of Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State staged a protest on Monday, barricading the busy Airport-Owo expressway for hours to demand immediate government action against rising insecurity and frequent kidnappings.
The demonstration was triggered by a violent attack on Sunday night, where gunmen abducted a woman and injured three others, including a child, with gunfire.
Details of the Attack
According to eyewitnesses and police accounts, around 8 p.m. on Sunday, approximately six armed men ambushed a resident, John Ofuduwa, as he was driving into his home on Liberty Avenue. The assailants opened fire, damaging his vehicle.
During the chaos, the gunmen abducted a neighbor, Oladeinde Tomilola, from her home. Two other neighbors who attempted to intervene—identified as Victoria and her 11-year-old daughter, Victoria Olorunfemi—were shot and injured. All injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Community Takes to the Streets
Angered by what they described as unchecked criminal activity and inadequate security, youths, women, and community leaders blocked the highway with logs and stones, halting traffic between Akure and Owo.
“We can no longer sleep with our two eyes closed. Kidnappers are now operating freely in our community. We want the government to act immediately before more lives are lost,” one protester stated.
The demonstrators called on the Ondo State Government and security agencies to establish a permanent military checkpoint in Ilu-Abo and increase visible patrols to deter criminals.
Police Response and Traditional Council’s Pledge
In response, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, visited the community to assess the situation and dialogue with residents. He condemned the attack as a “senseless act of violence” and promised enhanced security measures.
“Existing security frameworks have been strengthened with additional tactical and intelligence-driven deployments to ensure the swift arrest of the perpetrators and to prevent a recurrence,” CP Lawal assured.
The police chief also met with the community’s traditional ruler, the Oluabo of Iluabo, Olu Falae, who pledged the support of the traditional council and vowed to activate local vigilantes to assist security forces. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
The protest underscores growing public anxiety over security in several Nigerian communities, where residents are increasingly taking collective action to demand more effective protection from authorities.
Posts
0 Comments