Protest sparked in Akure After Fresh Kidnap Attack Leaves One Dead, Three Abducted

….Angry residents barricade Akure–Owo- Airport Road, accuse Government of failing to curb rising insecurity.

Tension gripped parts of Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday morning as angry residents barricaded the Akure–Owo Airport Road at Ilu-Abo community following another suspected kidnapping attack that reportedly left two persons dead and three others abducted.

The protest erupted less than 24 hours after the reported abduction of a local government official near the Akure Airport axis, further heightening fears over the worsening security situation in the area.

Residents said the latest incident occurred late Monday night when heavily armed men invaded the Ilu-Abo area, shooting sporadically and causing panic among villagers before abducting three persons.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that one of the victims was shot during the attack and later died from the gunshot wounds, while the gunmen whisked away three other residents to an unknown destination.

Angered by the development, residents took to the streets early Tuesday, blocking the busy Akure–Owo expressway with logs of wood, tires, and other objects, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill

Some of the protesters were also seen carrying the lifeless body of the victim while chanting protest songs and demanding urgent government intervention to address the persistent insecurity around the airport road and adjoining communities.

A resident, who spoke with journalists during the protest, lamented that kidnapping incidents had become frequent in the area, accusing the government of failing to take decisive action to protect lives and property, calling on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to come personally to address them on the rising insecurity.

“We are tired of this situation. Almost every day now, we hear about kidnapping around the airport road. Yesterday, a council secretary was kidnapped, and today, again, one person has been killed while three others have been taken away by gunmen.

“The government is not doing anything to protect us. People are living in fear, and many farmers can no longer go to their farms,” the resident said.

In a video circulating on social media on Tuesday morning, residents were seen displaying the corpse of the victim while blocking the highway, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for several hours.

Another resident said the protest became necessary to draw the attention of authorities to the plight of the people.

“We can not continue like this. Kidnappers operate freely here, and nobody is safe again. We have reported several times, but nothing has changed. That is why we blocked the road so the government will hear us,” he said.

Motorists traveling along the busy Akure–Owo expressway were forced to stop for hours as the protest caused heavy traffic on the route, with many passengers stranded.