Protest Erupts in Ondo Over Killings, Abduction of 9 Surveyors
Women in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, took to the streets on Tuesday to protest the ongoing killings and the abduction of nine individuals recently kidnapped in Akure North Local Government Area.
The victims, who were surveyors, were abducted while working on a site in Ilu-Abo on Tuesday last week. The protesters, carrying placards with various messages, gathered at the residence of the Ejeminkin of Akure, High Chief Oluwole Omotayo, as early as 9 a.m.
Expressing outrage over the rise in kidnappings in the state, the protesters explained that the surveyors were on-site when armed men suddenly appeared from the bush, forced the workers away, and abducted them to an unknown location.
The protesters, marching from Ijemikin in Akure to the Governor’s office, shut down the entrance to the office and demanded swift action. They called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take decisive measures against kidnappers, killer herdsmen, and criminals who have infiltrated communities across the state.
Addressing the crowd on behalf of the governor, the Special Adviser to Governor Aiyedatiwa on Union Matters and Special Duties, Bola Taiwo, responded: “We shall speak with your leaders to find out if they have reported the incident to the police. If not, they should, as that’s when the government can act.”
Taiwo further advised that surveyors visiting sites should go with police escorts, stating, “No gunmen can abduct anyone without internal collaborators. No one can come to Ilu-Abo and kidnap without the help of one of the natives.”
He added, “It is your people who kidnapped the nine surveyors. We will meet with your leaders to discuss the matter.”
The protest highlights the growing security concerns in Ondo, with locals demanding stronger efforts to combat criminal activities in the region.
