Fear gripped residents of Idogun in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State following a midnight invasion by suspected gunmen who abducted a nine-year-old boy and vandalised homes in Ugbosi Quarters.
The attackers, who stormed the community around 1:30 a.m., reportedly fired gunshots sporadically to disperse residents before breaking into homes and carrying out the abduction.
The victim, identified as Olaosebikan Victor, the son of a cleric, was taken from the residence of Olaosebikan Isaac during the attack.
Isaac was said to have escaped into a nearby bush to avoid being kidnapped, inadvertently leaving his son behind, who was then whisked away by the armed men.
The incident was later reported to security authorities by residents, including Isaac and Joel Owalekan.
The gunmen were also said to have damaged property belonging to Owalekan while attempting to force entry into his home. He, however, escaped unharmed.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said security operatives had launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation immediately after receiving distress calls.
He explained that operatives of the police division, in collaboration with the Amotekun Corps and other security agencies, were deployed to the scene to track the attackers.
According to him, teams have been combing nearby forests and suspected escape routes in an effort to rescue the abducted child and apprehend the perpetrators.
Abayomi said investigations were ongoing, adding that relevant evidence had already been recovered from the scene of the attack.
He assured that all tactical and intelligence units had been mobilised to ensure the safe return of the victim and the arrest of those responsible.
The police spokesman urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could aid the investigation.
He further called on anyone with credible intelligence regarding the incident to report promptly to the nearest police station or other security formations.
Leave a Reply