RismadarVoice Reporters, March 9, 2026
The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area in Akoko North-West Local Government Area, Joseph Kayode, and a woman identified as Esther Akinlolu.
The victims were reportedly kidnapped on Monday morning at a poultry farm located along Kajola Road in Ilu-Abo, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said preliminary investigations revealed that three masked armed men suspected to have emerged from a nearby bush invaded the poultry farm.
According to him, the assailants fired sporadically into the air before abducting the two victims and fleeing to an unknown destination.
“Upon receipt of the information, the command immediately mobilised tactical teams and detectives to the affected area to commence search and rescue operations, as well as intensify security patrols to prevent further occurrences,” Jimoh said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, had directed the deployment of all available operational and intelligence resources to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of the suspects.
Jimoh noted that security operatives, working alongside non-conventional security outfits, were combing nearby forests and surrounding communities in an ongoing effort to track down the perpetrators.
The police spokesperson acknowledged the concern generated by the incident among residents, particularly parents and school authorities, which reportedly led to the temporary closure of some schools in the area.
He, however, urged members of the public to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information that could cause unnecessary panic.
Jimoh also called on parents, guardians, and community leaders to cooperate with the police and other security agencies by providing credible and actionable information that could aid the ongoing operations.
The command reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.
