There was a large protest on Tuesday along the Ilu-Abo/Ogbese axis in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State as residents of Ilu-Abo and nearby communities blocked the Akure/Owo highway.
The demonstrators barricaded the road using the body of one of the victims killed during a recent terrorist invasion in Akure North Local Government Area.
The action caused heavy traffic congestion on the highway for several hours, forcing travellers heading toward Abuja, Edo State, and other parts of southern Nigeria to seek alternative routes.
Meanwhile, youths in the community declared that they would continue to shut down vehicular movement on the highway until Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa responds to the growing threat of terrorist activities in Akure North Local Government.
Carrying placards with different messages, the protesters lamented that persistent attacks by terrorists have made it unsafe for them to farm or even sleep peacefully, as their communities are frequently invaded for kidnappings and ransom demands.
They alleged that families of abducted victims have paid several millions of naira to secure the release of their loved ones.
Some of the placards displayed during the protest read: “We Are Dying, Save Our Soul,” “Mr. Governor, Please Assist Us,” “Our Children Are in Danger,” “We Cannot Go to Farms Again,” among others.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Ilu-Abo, Oba Olu Falae.
During the visit, the police commissioner assured that the police, alongside other security agencies in the state, including the State Security Network known as Amotekun, would strengthen security operations across the affected communities.
However, about 24 hours after the abduction of Joseph Aladesuyi, secretary of the Okeluju Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Akoko North West Local Government Area of the state, his abductors reportedly contacted his family and demanded N100 million ransom for his release.
Family sources revealed that the kidnappers reached out by phone around 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, insisting on the payment of N100 million before freeing him.
The sources also disclosed that the abductors allowed room for negotiation after making the demand.
Speaking anonymously, a family member said: “They (terrorists) called this morning. They asked us to bring N/N100 million before they would release him. They spoke very briefly and hastily during the call, and they did not even allow us to say much.
“We have been very worried since yesterday, but the call has given us hope. We are still expecting that they will call because the money is a whole lot. How do we raise that amount as a family?
“Our concern is more about his health at the moment because we were made to understand that when they (terrorists) arrived on the farm, he was shot in one of his hands while they were dragging him.”
Reacting to the development, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Abayomi Jimoh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said security personnel have intensified efforts to locate the perpetrators.
“Security operatives alongside unconventional security outfits are currently combing nearby forests and surrounding communities as part of ongoing efforts to track down the perpetrators,” he said.
