Ondo Community Protests as Bandits Demand N80 Million Ransom for Kidnapped Couple

Residents of the Eleyewo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State staged a protest on Saturday morning following the abduction of a couple by suspected bandits.

The victims, Jamiu Olawale and his wife, were kidnapped during an attack on the night of February 20, 2026. The incident also left a neighbor, Patrick Ilumaro, injured after being shot by the assailants.

Frustrated by the growing insecurity, community members blocked the Akure-Owo Expressway for several hours, chanting solidarity songs, until police intervention restored vehicular movement.

A family member, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the kidnappers had made contact and were demanding a ransom of N80 million for the release of the couple N40 million for each victim.

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, stated that the attack occurred around 9:45 p.m. on Friday. According to him, the couple had just arrived home in their ash-colored Toyota Camry when armed men emerged from nearby bushes, attacked them at their residence, and whisked them away to an unknown destination.

Jimoh added that the neighbor, Patrick Ilumaro, who was sitting outside at the time of the attack, sustained a gunshot wound and was rushed to the hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment.

The protest highlights growing tensions in the community over security concerns, as residents call on authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted couple and address the rising threat of kidnapping in the area.