Some gunmen have attacked Ora, a boundary community along the Osun/Kwara border, and abducted the Vice Chairman of the Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr Debo Farounbi.
Farounbi was reportedly abducted in Ora around 10 pm on Tuesday, alongside three other people, by the gunmen who shot into the air causing panic among the residents.
It was further learnt that military personnel and local volunteers stationed in the town put up a strong resistance, forcing the perpetrators to abandon three of those abducted. They reportedly went away with Farounbi after a heavy gunfight.
A resident, who pleaded for anonymity for security reasons, told The PUNCH, the gunmen shot sporadically before going for their target.
“Four people, two Fulani women and two men including the Ifedayo Local Government Vice Chairman, Debo Farounbi, were abducted. But the resistance put up by the military made the perpetrators abandon three people. They however went away with Farounbi. Our people did not sleep throughout the night. We are in serious fear. The incident happened around 10 pm on Tuesday,” the resident said.
When contacted, the Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident.
“One person was abducted. He is a local government Vice Chairman, Hon Debo Farounbi. Immediately the incident happened, the military, police and others responded. Efforts are in place to rescue the man. It is abduction until we are able to prove that it is a case of kidnapping,” Ojelabi said.
Farounbi’s abduction is the third such incident in the community in the last seven months. In December 2025, a retired Customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, was abducted by suspected bandits in Ora. After spending almost four weeks in captivity, Owolabi was eventually released in a community in Kwara State following the payment of an undisclosed ransom.
Barely weeks later, suspected bandits invaded Ora again through the Kwara boundary on February 1 and abducted two other residents. They were also released after about four weeks in captivity.
Meanwhile, a cross-section of residents who spoke with our correspondent about the recurring abduction incidents in the community have called for stronger security presence to stop further invasions of the town.
“People are leaving the town. And more people may leave unless something urgent is done to secure us. The invaders are coming through our boundary with Kwara State,” a market leader, Mrs Alarape, said.
