Tensions reached a boiling point in Akure, the Ondo State capital as furious protesters stormed the streets on Tuesday, demanding immediate action over the shocking abduction of nine surveyors by armed men in Owode Ilu-Abo, Akure South Local Government Area.
The victims, all Akure indigenes, were reportedly seized last week while working on a job site, yet authorities have failed to secure their release—a situation that has fueled public anger and frustration over the government’s handling of the state’s worsening security crisis.
The protests, led by distressed relatives and enraged residents, saw major roads blocked,particularly the Oba Adesida Road, as demonstrators wielding placards disrupted traffic and chanted slogans condemning the government’s inaction.
Ransom Demands Soar Amid Helpless Families
One of the protesters, Comfort Afolabi whose brother is among the kidnapped surveyors, revealed that the abductors initially emanded N50 million to start negotiations but later hiked the ransom to N100 million, leaving families desperate and hopeless.
We have been pleading with them, but they insist they won’t release our loved ones unless we pay the full amount. We are helpless and need the government to intervene, Afolabi cried out.
Ondo Descends into Kidnapping Chaos
The latest abduction is just one of many recent kidnapping cases in Ondo State. Last week, a farmer and his manager were abducted in the Oba Ile area, adding to the growing wave of criminal activities that have left residents in constant fear for their lives.
Despite the worsening security situation, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi ,admitted to struggling with limited resources suggesting that the police force lacks the necessary logistics to combat the rising tide of kidnappings and violent crime.
“The issue of kidnapping is a serious concern, and we are doing everything within our capacity to address it. However, we need better resources to strengthen our operations,Afolabi stated.
His remarks, however,failed to calm the protesters, who argue that government negligence and security failures have turned Ondo into a kidnapping hotspot.
With no clear strategy from the authorities and rising frustration among residents, many are now questioning: Has Ondo State been abandoned to criminals?
