Residents of Ora Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area, Osun State, were thrown into panic on Monday night following a violent invasion by armed bandits that left the leader of non-indigenes in the town dead and a former customs officer, Mr Emmanuel Owolabi, abducted from his home.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, who fired multiple gunshots, stormed the ancient town, located near the borders of Kwara and Ekiti States, in large numbers, taking control of the area for several hours.
The attack forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes in fear of abduction.
The violence was concentrated in Akisa and surrounding parts of the town, leaving residents shaken and discussing the attack in hushed groups.
Local security guards and community vigilantes reportedly attempted to repel the attackers, but their efforts were hampered by inferior weaponry compared to the heavily armed bandits.
High Chief Isaac Fadipe, the Inurin of Ora Igbomina land, confirmed the attack and said members of the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and vigilantes were currently combing nearby forests in a bid to track the bandits and secure the release of the abducted former customs officer.
He called on state security agencies and Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke to intervene urgently, stressing the need to fortify the town with additional armed security personnel.
“We are now living in perpetual fear, and we want the government to act fast on the security of the people,” Fadipe said.
The Osun State Police Command confirmed that additional personnel had been deployed to the area.
Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that police operatives and volunteers immediately pursued the attackers following the incident.
He added that one individual was shot during the attack, though the fatality occurred across the border in Kwara State. “We are working hard to rescue the victim,” Ojelabi said.