Suspected kidnappers have abducted a traditional ruler in Ondo State, prompting an intensive rescue operation by security agencies.
The victim, Mr. Adeniyi Adelana, the Baale of Ode Oriya Community in Owo Local Government Area, was reportedly whisked away by armed men who invaded his residence on Saturday night.
According to sources in the community, the assailants stormed Ode Oriya at about 8 p.m. and headed directly to the monarch’s residence, where they forcefully abducted the 60-year-old leader before fleeing through a nearby bush path to an unknown destination.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said security operatives had launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation to secure the victim’s release and apprehend those responsible.
Jimoh disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that approximately six armed men carried out the attack under the cover of darkness.
“The Ondo State Police Command has launched a coordinated rescue operation following the abduction of a community leader by suspected kidnappers in Ode Oriya Village, Owo Local Government Area of the state,” he said.
He explained that police operatives, alongside other security personnel, were immediately deployed to the area after receiving a distress call.
The team secured the scene and commenced preliminary investigations as part of efforts to track down the kidnappers.
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The police spokesman further revealed that the victim’s wife sustained a gunshot wound to her right hand during the attack.
According to him, she was rescued and rushed to a medical facility, where she is currently receiving treatment and responding positively.
Jimoh stated that security personnel have intensified operations across forests, bush paths, and other suspected escape routes in the area in a bid to locate the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of the traditional ruler.
He added that tactical deployments had also been reinforced in Ode Oriya and neighbouring communities to strengthen security and prevent further criminal activities.
The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Felix Ohagwu, had directed all tactical units, intelligence teams, and operational personnel to intensify efforts toward the swift rescue of the monarch and the arrest of the perpetrators.
“The command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that the victim is reunited safely with his family while all those involved face the full weight of the law,” Jimoh stated.
The latest abduction adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Ondo State, where incidents of kidnapping and violent crimes have continued to pose challenges to residents and security agencies.