The latest kidnapping incident took place just a week after suspected gunmen abducted nine surveyors in Owode/Ilu Abo, located in Akure North Local Government Area.
According to sources on Sunday, the victims were taken at the entrance of their home along Ipele Road in Owo as they returned from work.
A local resident recounted the incident, saying, “On Friday evening, we were together while fasting. I was with Tope at his wife’s shop before we parted ways to break our fast. Later, I received a call from his son, informing me that his father, mother, and sister had been kidnapped. When we arrived at his house, we confirmed the devastating news. The boy who called me had been in the car with them but had stepped out to open the gate when the kidnappers struck and took them away.”
The abductors have since contacted the family, demanding a ransom of N20 million for their release. “At first, they asked for N30 million, but after negotiations, they lowered it to N20 million,” the source added.
Police Public Relations Officer Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya stated that she had not yet confirmed the incident but assured that she would follow up on the case.
Concerns over rising insecurity in the state have been growing, particularly among surveyors, who have been increasingly targeted. During a press briefing in Akure last week, Tajudeen Bello, Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors (NIS), expressed fears that many of their members now feel unsafe working on-site due to the heightened risk of abduction.
Amid the worsening security situation, the socio-cultural group Ooye Development Initiatives (ODI) has called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to make the protection of lives and property a top priority.
In a statement released over the weekend, ODI President Tokunbo Jegede condemned the rising cases of kidnappings, armed robberies, and killings, particularly in Akure. “The increasing incidents of abductions and murders across Akure and other parts of the state are deeply troubling. The state government must take urgent steps to safeguard its citizens,” Jegede urged.
