Ondo community protests incessant attacks

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Residents of Ijagba community of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo, on Thursday, protested over the persistent attacks and kidnapping of the people of the communities, saying the community has been under the siege of the kidnappers for the past few months.

Raising the security alert, the Prime Minister of Ijagba community, High Chief Sunday Ogoh, observed that the bandits have infiltrated the area, and their nefarious activities have sent fear and anxiety to residents of the community.

Ogoh said the two recent kidnappings in the area occurring in quick succession indicated that the hoodlums have invaded the community and must be checkmated before they cause more havoc.

According to him, two indigenes of the town, father and son, Ohiremen Isaac Odeh and Solomon Isaac Odeh, were abducted some three days ago, while the father died as the captive of the kidnappers, the son was released after payment of N400,000 as ransom.

He also said a younger brother of the lawmaker representing the federal constituency, Hon Timehin Adelegbe, Bola Adelegbe was killed by the hoodlums after collecting ransom.

Ogoh explained that the sad incidents and continuous attacks have destabilised the community, stressing that many residents now live in palpable fear due to threats from the attackers, while some people had fled the towns.

He said “In the last two years, we have lost over 20 community members to the incessant attacks. Aside from Mr Odeh, we lost one of our brothers, Bola Adelegbe to the attacks by the gunmen.

“As a result of this, we are appealing to the state government to give urgently come to our aid. They should give us a strong military base that would be manning our roads to reduce this incessant kidnapping and killings in our communities.

“As we speak now, we cannot even visit our farms because of these attacks. These gunmen who are herdsmen have taken over everywhere. They always hide by the farm road and swap on our people and abduct them for ransom.

“One of their hideouts is the tick forest in Okeluse, which they use as their den. Anytime they are kidnapped, they will always ask for ransom and if you don’t give them the money within two days, they will kill the victim. We have been experiencing this for the last two years now.

“We have written the state government on several occasions but we are not getting the response we want. So, want security provide for us because we are tired,” he said.

He said the protest becomes imperative to intimate the whole world about the incessant killings in the area, saying most people had abandoned their properties and ran away from the town.

Also speaking, the son of the deceased and a member of the community, Solomon Odeh, narrated how he was kidnapped with his father, explaining that the gunmen tied him with rope and murdered his father after a ransom was paid.

“But I was later released not until my father was killed after paying N400,000 as ransom,” he added.

Reacting to the attacks, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in the State, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said the security agents are after the perpetrators.

“We are aware of the situation in the community and we are on top of the situation with a view to arrest those behind the attacks. I can assure you that with our investigation we will arrest the perpetrators.

“The police are on top of the situation in the affected communities and we are already after the perpetrators. I can assure you that, they will soon be apprehended,” she said.

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