Fresh concerns over insecurity in Ondo State have emerged following the abduction of two farmers in Ifira, a farming community in Akoko South-East Local Government Area, prompting a coordinated search operation involving multiple security agencies.
According to local sources, the victims were attacked while travelling to their farm and were subsequently taken into a nearby forest by suspected gunmen. The incident has heightened anxiety among residents of the agrarian community, where farming remains the primary source of livelihood.
A relative of one of the abducted farmers said the families had promptly reported the incident to the police and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun. The source further claimed that the kidnappers had contacted the victims’ relatives and were demanding a ransom of ₦10 million in exchange for their release.
Appealing for urgent intervention, the family member urged security agencies and the state government to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ freedom.
“We’ve reported the incident to the police and the Amotekun Corps in our area. We’re begging the security agencies and the government to help us rescue our brothers unharmed,” the source said.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the police received a report of missing persons at the Isua Akoko Divisional Headquarters and had since activated a joint rescue operation.
According to Abayomi, security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, Agbekoya operatives and community volunteers have been deployed to the Oke-Ifira and Idogun forest corridor in search of the victims.
“Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing, with all available operational and intelligence resources being deployed to locate the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
However, the police distanced themselves from reports that the abductors had demanded a ransom, insisting that the command had not received any official information confirming such claims.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that it is not aware of any ransom demand in connection with this incident,” Abayomi added.
The police spokesperson called on residents and members of the public with useful information to support the ongoing operation, assuring them that any intelligence provided would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The latest abduction adds to growing concerns over security in parts of Ondo State, particularly in rural communities where incidents of kidnapping and attacks on farmers have increasingly disrupted economic activities. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to rescuing the victims and apprehending those responsible, while urging residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.
