Gunmen kidnap woman, shoot businessman, mother and child in Ondo community

Fear enveloped the Ilu Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State after gunmen abducted a woman, identified as Tomiola Oladehinde.  The victim was abducted at about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 25, 2026 by six armed men at the entrance of her residence on Liberty Avenue in the community.  Findings revealed that the gunmen had trailed a businessman, John Ofuduwa, to the community before abducting the woman as part of their escape plan.  Ofuduwa, an iron rod dealer at Oba-Ile community, a neighbouring settlement to Ilu-Abo, was shot in the head by the assailants after he was ambushed while attempting to enter his compound.  During the attack, two other persons, a woman identified as Victoria and her 11-year-old daughter, who were passing through the area, were also hit by bullets fired by the gunmen. Sources in the community said the attackers were not kidnappers but gunmen allegedly hired to assassinate the businessman, adding that the other victims, particularly the kidnapped woman, were victims of circumstance.  One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: John was the one that the gunmen traced to Ilu-Abo. He was about to enter his gate when we suddenly heard multiple gunshots. At that point, we had to run for our dear lives. “It was when they left that we realised that John was shot in the head with blood gushing out. A woman that was also trying to drive inside her compound was kidnapped. Another woman and her daughter were also shot.  We believed that the woman was kidnapped in order to aid their escape from the community. But they are yet to contact anyone as regards her whereabouts since Sunday night. John was rushed to FMC, Owo, but he was referred to Ado-Ekiti. We are praying that he will make it. The incident triggered a protest in the community, with residents barricading the busy AkureOwo highway on Monday to express their anger over the rising insecurity in the area. The protest caused heavy gridlock on the highway for several hours, forcing motorists to take alternative bush routes to reach their destinations.  Armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as We Seek Governors Intervention and We Say No to Banditry, the protesters called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene and put an end to the security challenges.  According to the protesters, Ilu Abo has suffered repeated violent attacks for nearly three years, with residents claiming that appeals to authorities have yielded little improvement in security.  The aggrieved residents accused security operatives, particularly the police, of insufficient commitment and delayed responses, alleging that the perceived lapses have emboldened criminal elements operating in and around the community.  They called on the government to implement a permanent solution to the crisis, urging security agencies to flush out suspected bandits hiding in nearby forests to restore safety and confidence among residents.    The post Gunmen kidnap woman, shoot businessman, mother and child in Ondo community appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.