Gunmen Abduct Two Farmers in Ondo, Demand N100m Ransom

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted two farmers in Parubber community, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, and are demanding a ransom of N100 million for their release.

The victims were reportedly working on their farms when the armed men attacked and forcibly marched them into a nearby forest.

One of the farmers who escaped the attack, Pastor Yemi Omowale, said the assailants stormed the farmland carrying AK-47 rifles and cutlasses before abducting the two victims.

According to Omowale, the kidnappers have since established contact with the wife of one of those abducted, demanding N100 million in exchange for their freedom.

He said the incident has been reported to both the Nigeria Police Force and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as the Amotekun Corps.

“We’ve reported the incident to the police and the Amotekun Corps in our area. They still call on the wife of the victims, asking her how much she has raised. We’re begging the security agencies and the government to help us rescue our brother and sister unharmed,” Omowale said.

The attack has heightened fears among farmers in the community, many of whom have become increasingly concerned about insecurity in rural areas where agricultural activities are often disrupted by kidnappers and other criminal groups.

Residents appealed to security agencies to intensify surveillance and rescue efforts, warning that persistent attacks on farmers could further affect farming activities and livelihoods in the area.

Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Jimoh Abayomi, confirmed that security operatives have commenced efforts to rescue the victims.

He disclosed that a joint security team comprising officers from the police Anti-Kidnapping Squad, local hunters and vigilante groups has been deployed to the area.

According to Abayomi, the combined team has launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation aimed at locating the abductors’ hideout and securing the safe release of the victims.

He assured residents that security agencies were working together to ensure the kidnappers are apprehended and brought to justice.

The latest incident adds to growing concerns over kidnappings in parts of Ondo State, where armed gangs have increasingly targeted farmers, commuters and rural communities, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect residents and farmlands.