27th March 2025

A leadership crisis in Ugbonla, a community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, has resulted in the tragic killing of the assistant secretary of the community, Idowu Joel Lowo.

TheNigerian Metro learnt on Wednesday that hoodlums allegedly attacked Lowo with weapons, leading to his death, while the community’s Baale, Chief Adebowale Ebiwano, narrowly escaped.

Our correspondent gathered that the violence erupted on February 13, 2025, around 8:00 a.m. when four armed men, wielding cutlasses, were spotted near Chief Ebiwano’s residence.

Recalling the incident, Ebiwano told TheNigerian Metro on Wednesday, “At first, I assumed they were carrying cutlasses in preparation for our upcoming anniversary, but the situation quickly escalated.

He explained that the mob gathered, chanting that they no longer wanted a Baale in the community because the king who appointed him had passed away.

“They said anyone who still called himself Baale would be beaten. Fortunately, they didn’t know I had already left my house,” he said.

As the mob stormed his residence and found it empty, our correspondent learnt that they allegedly vandalised the house, destroyed vehicles, and looted money.

“We hid under a bed while I kept calling the police for help,” he continued. “To my shock, they told me they had no fuel in their vehicles. I even promised to double whatever amount they needed, but still, no help came.”

Ebiwano recounted that he asked his sister, who lived near the police station, to provide money for fuel, yet officers claimed they were waiting for orders from their superior.

Meanwhile, the assailants allegedly continued their destruction, he claimed.

During the rampage, the attackers allegedly caught Lowo and brutally assaulted him. “They clubbed him with planks filled with nails, and some used cutlasses,” Ebiwano said.

Our correspondent learnt that Iranlowo later died in the hospital.

When the police eventually arrived and arrested three suspects, Ebiwano lamented that they were later released.

Lowo’s wife, Olajumoke Iranlowo, who had recently given birth, now faces an uncertain future with her five children.

“My husband was killed in Ugbonla. I saw the video of what they did to him,” she said, sobbing on the phone on Wednesday.

The grieving widow alleged that her husband had been repeatedly threatened because of his support for the Baale.

“They once poured salt in his car as a warning. I know the people who killed him,” she added.

She expressed frustration over the handling of the case.

She stated, “I heard the suspects were arrested but later released. I want justice, but I don’t like how the government is handling this matter. My husband is gone, and I have no money to take care of our children. Please, don’t let me suffer.”

Reacting to the situation, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Ibukun Odunlami, advised the aggrieved parties to formally petition the Commissioner of Police if they felt the case was not properly handled.

She said, “I don’t think there is anything the police will not attend to, and if the Baale feels aggrieved that the issue has not been properly attended to, he should write a petition to the Commissioner of Police.

“I don’t understand why it should be the journalist asking me if we were aware of it, since he feels like the case has not been properly attended to; the institution has an organogram.

“There is an area command in that area that he can write a petition to, and if he’s still not satisfied, he should write to the office of the Commissioner of Police.”

Some communities in Ondo State have faced a wave of violence in recent times, grappling with incidents of banditry and attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Earlier this month, gunmen invaded several villages, including Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun.

Reports indicate that the attacks left many dead, forcing residents to flee their homes in fear.

The Ondo State Government has set up a security joint task force to tackle security challenges facing the people of the state even as the state Amotekun corps said it had apprehended no fewer than 32 men suspected to be kidnappers in the state’s forests.

This came a few days after some suspected bandits unleashed terror on the state killing and kidnapping the people.

The hoodlums allegedly attacked the Aba Oyinbo community and shot dead the five farmers in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state community. The incident sparked off the protest in Akure, the state capital by the farmers. A few days before that incident some suspected herdsmen attacked four communities of Ademekun, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor and Aba Alajido, killing 14 farmers in the communities all in the same Akure North LG.

Speaking with journalists on the arrests on Sunday in Akure, the state Commander of the Amotekun corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that the task force set up by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa comprised all security agencies.

He said, “We want to reassure the residents of this state that they can continue their normal farming activities as the government has established a joint task force to stabilise the very remote areas of Akure North, where these nefarious activities take place. The government is also making efforts to open up the roads in the area such that quick response can occur in case of emergency.”

On the communities being attacked recently, Adeleye said, “We are all aware of the criminal activities that happened in the deep forest of Akure North Local Government Area of the state. The government had drafted a joint patrol team comprising the army, the police, the NSCDC  and Amotekun men, and we’ve been able to restore normalcy to the Ago Oyinbo, Ago Dada, Ago Ademekun, Ago Sunday and its environs.

“Now, normalcy has been restored in the area and the government has directed that Amotekun posts be put in place as a control point in those remote areas to prevent a situation where after the exit of the present team these marauders can come back. So, these are part of the measures of the government in ensuring peace and stability, not only in Akure North but generally in the states,” the commander stated.

On the more than 32 men suspected to be kidnappers arrested in the state forests, the Amotekun boss said the suspects were nabbed at four local governments of Akure South, Akure North, Ose and Akoko North-East Local Governments, specifically, through the efforts of the Amotekun Rangers in collaboration with other security agencies in the state.

“In recent times, we have an upsurge of criminal activities kidnapping inclusive in Ondo State. The officers and men of the Ondo State security network mobilised additional support from the neighbouring local government and entered into the forest reserves and areas noted for these nefarious activities. In the last week, we were able to arrest 32 suspects for kidnapping that are undergoing different stages of interrogation.  We have a total of 58 men that we are parading today.

“Part of these 32 suspected kidnappers are people arrested around Akure North, Akure South, Ose and Akoko North-East local government in the last week. They were smoked out of the forests. All of them were smoked out of the forest reserve areas of the state and around the places where these unfortunate situations are happening.

“As a result of the recent killings in the Akure North LG area, officers and men from all security agencies, including Amotekun, have been parading the area and as I said, normalcy has been restored in those areas. We are talking about the Ago Dada, Ago Oyinbo, Ago Ademekun and its environment,” he concluded.

President of the Afenifere National Youth Council, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, shares with CHUKWUDI AKASIKE his experience in the hands of kidnappers who held him captive for 12 days

A group of gunmen recently kidnapped you. Where was your destination before the incident occurred?

My destination was Abuja, and I was supposed to travel by air. Unfortunately, one of the telecommunication networks and my bank had network issues so that I couldn’t make any online payments for my flight. This happened on the 16th and 17th of February. I decided to travel by road instead.

However, on my way to Abuja, when we reached Akoko in Ondo State, after leaving a checkpoint located between Kogi and Ondo states, we were ambushed by a group of gunmen, who were Fulani.

Where did the hoodlums emerge from?

They came out of the bush. There were about 10 of them, all fully armed with AK-47 rifles. Nine of them wore military uniforms, and they were all masked. One of them, who acted as their commander, was the one negotiating with my family.

How many days did you spend in the kidnappers’ den?

I spent 12 days in captivity. There were nine victims in total: four, including me, were seized from the commercial bus that was taking me to Abuja, while five others were abducted from another vehicle. According to the information available, the driver of another vehicle sustained injuries, and some people were killed in that vehicle.

The kidnappers told us it was just a coincidence that we were kidnapped because they were only targeting a popular transporter bus.

Did they explain why they were targeting the company’s buses?

They didn’t tell us, and we didn’t dare to ask them, given the situation we found ourselves in. We were already overwhelmed by fear and anxiety.

What did the kidnappers say when they accosted the vehicle you were travelling in?

They said, “Move, move!” and ordered us out of the vehicle. When they emerged from the bush, they started shooting sporadically at our vehicle. They shot about 19 bullets at the vehicle. That’s how some of the bullets hit my buttocks.

What happened afterwards?

After we were ordered out of the vehicle, we were marched into the bush. Some of the kidnappers immediately realised that I had sustained gunshot injuries and suggested I should be allowed to go. But one of them refused, saying they had checked my phone and seen my details, concluding that I was a “big man.”

But I insisted I wasn’t a big man. They checked my account and saw that I only had N12,000 in it. They asked me if I wanted to continue the journey into the inner part of the bush or be killed. I told them I was ready to continue the journey. That was how we started a long trek for hours, without food or water.

What went through your mind when you realised you had been shot?

I began to think about my children and my wife. Before the kidnappers began to shoot at our bus, the driver should have escaped with the vehicle, but he wasn’t quick enough. He stopped and cursed the people shooting without realising they were kidnappers.

When I saw them from afar, I realised they were kidnappers, even though they wore military uniforms. It wasn’t long before I noticed I had sustained bullet wounds, so I told the driver about it. I asked him to make a U-turn, but he said he couldn’t, as one of the tyres of the vehicle had already been shot.

How did you know you had been shot?

I felt cold in my body, and when I touched my buttocks, I noticed there was blood. As we walked into the bush, the kidnappers kept shouting at us to move. That was when it dawned on me that I had been abducted. That day felt like a black Monday for me. I had heard stories about kidnappings but never imagined I would be kidnapped in Ondo State, my own state. It happened just two minutes’ drive from a Nigerian military checkpoint and Amotekun spot.

There was a video in which one of your abductors pointed a gun at you while you were begging Nigerians for help. How did you manage to avoid being shot at that point?

I thought they were going to shoot me at that moment. One of them, their leader, told me that the ransom they were demanding for my release was N100m. They gave me the nickname “Injury” because I was already an injured captive.

Before then, I had negotiated N3m with them, but they disagreed, insisting it must be N100m. I was then forced to record a video, asking Nigerians to help me raise the ransom so I could be released. I had to do it because I didn’t want to die. One of them told his colleagues not to kill me when they threatened to do so. When one of them cocked his gun and aimed it at me, I lost all hope, but thankfully, he didn’t shoot.

What happened later?

I am grateful to my wife, who spoke to Nigerians about my situation, and they came to my rescue. My brother and some pastors from the Redeemed Christian Church of God also tried to help. Everybody rallied around to see how they could save my life.

What about the other victims in the kidnappers’ den with you?

Each of them contacted their family members and friends to pay the ransom. The total amount paid for our release was around N100m.

How were the kidnappers able to receive such a large sum in cash without being detected?

Kidnapping is a well-organised crime, and they collected some of the ransoms very close to the checkpoint. The first ransom was paid near Kabba Prison, at the back of Kabba. They instructed the family of the victim to stop at the checkpoint and to buy food from a woman selling near Kabba. After passing the woman, they were to drive for another five minutes to the checkpoint. In fact, the kidnappers always collected their money behind that checkpoint.

The second ransom was paid in Ikare. This was for the family of another victim from Ibadan. The family arrived, spent two days, and then dropped the money in Ikare.

For my ransom, my wife was supposed to take it to Ikare, but there was a serious tracking of my phone. When the kidnappers realised that a lot of attention was being focused on Ikare, they told me that we were going to move, and that was when they prepared some herbs for me.

What were the herbs for?

The herbs were for my bullet wounds. I drank some of the herbs and applied some to the area of my wound. After 10 minutes, I fell asleep for about an hour. I didn’t know we were going for a long journey. We started our trek through the bush at around 4:45 pm and arrived at our destination, Ibilo, at about 2.30am. We then rested.

I didn’t realise we were in Ibilo, Edo State, until the kidnappers asked me to contact my wife. She was in Akure with my younger brother. They told her to park when she reached Ibilo, near the checkpoint.

That was when I started wondering why they always conducted their transactions so close to military checkpoints. I began to suspect that some security operatives might have been compromised.

Did the kidnappers reveal anything else to you?

They told me they were going to attack Ondo State—hasn’t that started happening now? Unfortunately, our security operatives have been compromised. Those military checkpoints have failed to protect us.

One of the victims, who identified himself as Dogo, was the last person freed alongside me. His ransom was paid through my wife’s account because his family was in faraway Jos.

How much did Dogo’s family pay?

His family paid N6.5m.

How much did your family and friends pay?

We paid N17m.

You spent 12 days in the kidnappers’ den. How were you surviving during that time?

We weren’t given food; we were just walking. Whenever we found water, perhaps once every two days, we drank. We were also subjected to severe beatings every day. There was one day when my wife gave them incorrect information, and I was tortured for eight hours.

What was the incorrect information?

My wife gave them information that initially made them happy, but they later discovered it was inaccurate. The information was provided to prevent them from killing me. It was a hellish experience. They started the torture with canes at around 9am and stopped at about 4pm. Even my friend, Asiwaju, pleaded with them and promised that the ransom would be raised. Thank God, all of that is now in the past.

At what point were you allowed to go?

It was tough for me right until the last day. I kept praying and quoting scriptures, asking God why He allowed this to happen to me. They increased the torture, claiming I was a public figure.

We trekked through the bush from Kabba in Kogi State to Ibilo in Edo State. When we arrived, we encountered many hunters and Fulani herdsmen, who worked together with them. Ibilo is said to be the epicentre of kidnapping by Fulani herdsmen.

When my wife and brother were bringing the ransom, there were about eight motorcycles in the bush, seemingly monitoring to ensure they didn’t come with police.

Who were the people riding the motorcycles in the bush?

They were informants working for the kidnappers. When my wife and brother entered the bush at the back of the military checkpoint, those on motorcycles followed them.

While I was being held captive, if the kidnappers had sensed any security breach, they could have killed me and still collected the ransom. But when they saw my pregnant wife and younger brother, they said, “Injury, congratulations, you are going home.”

What other reasons did the kidnappers have for congratulating you?

They noticed that my wife had brought everything they demanded, including 20 plates of fufu and money. Everything was intact. She also bought them sachets of alchoholic drinks.

They insisted she taste the food to ensure it was not poisoned. They then called one of the men holding me captive and told him to let me go. When I left the bush, I was so weak that I could hardly walk. I found cassava on our way out, and I ate it to regain some strength.

Did you eventually see your wife?

Yes, I did, and I started crying. I was so exhausted. Even now, I am not mentally strong. Unfortunately, any human being has to endure such a horrible experience.

Before you travelled, did you have any premonitions of being attacked or kidnapped?

As a Christian, I received signs from God, but I was too anxious about my destination. I was supposed to travel on Sunday, but due to network issues with one of the telecommunication companies and a bank, I couldn’t. On Monday morning, I woke up my two daughters and asked them to pray for me.

After our morning devotion, I asked my wife to anoint me with oil before I left the house. I returned home once for no reason—something felt unusual. I saw those signs but didn’t listen to God’s warning.

Even while I was in the kidnappers’ den, their leader called me and asked if God had given me any signs about the kidnapping. I told him yes, and that it was unfortunate I hadn’t listened to God’s voice. I told them that my destination had been the foremost thing on my mind.

What were the kidnappers eating?

They didn’t eat anything. They only relied on fruits they found while we were walking. It wasn’t until the eighth day that one of them went into town and bought a small quantity of garri, rice, and beans.

They gave us just a handful of garri each. For me, who had been injured, they bought some medicine to prevent infection. They gave me a handful of garri, which I ate with dirty water.

We drank from the same water that their cows drank. It was only after the first ransom was paid that they went to buy food and energy drinks, but they didn’t offer any to us, the hostages.

Has your bitter experience in the hands of kidnappers changed your faith in God?

It was God who saved me, not money. They insisted that the N100M ransom had to be paid for me to be freed. It was my faith, the prayers of my family, and the support of Nigerians that saved me.

A church in my area, which I had never attended before, held a special vigil on my behalf. I am truly grateful. I plan to go there to give thanks. God saved me, and I will hold on to Him because He is the Alpha and Omega.

The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged the former deputy governor of the state to refrain from politicising the security situation, stressing that insecurity is not unique to Ondo State.

According to the ruling party, the surge in insecurity affecting the state is a national challenge that has plagued many regions.

In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, APC described the stance of Ajayi, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election, on Aiyedatiwa’s alleged lack of preparedness as misleading and unfair.

Otaloro emphasised that the governor inherited a complex security landscape requiring a multifaceted approach and has remained committed to addressing these challenges head-on.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa has implemented various initiatives aimed at enhancing the security architecture of Ondo State. Under his leadership, the Amotekun Corps has been strengthened, and collaboration between local security agencies and community leaders has been prioritised.

“These efforts have been instrumental in reducing crime rates and restoring peace in affected areas. It is important to recognise that security is a shared responsibility, and the government is actively working with citizens to foster a safer environment,” he said.

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 12 people who were allegedly involved in some criminal activities across the state.

Some of the suspects, according to the command, were alleged to be working for the kidnappers who had been abducting the residents of the state in the recent time.

TheNigerian Metro reports that nine surveyors were abducted at a site in Ilu Abo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state last week. The victims later regained their freedom after a week in the kidnappers’ den. Prior to the incident, a number of people had been kidnapped in the same local government but were later released.

Speaking with journalists on the arrest at the headquarters of the command on Tuesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilfred Afolabi, said the command would not rest until the criminals were flushed out of the state.

According to the CP, some of the suspects were giving information to the bandits about the movement of the people to abduct them.

He said, “On February 24, 2025, joint efforts of the police and local vigilantes at Owo led to the arrest of one Abdullahi Mallam Bala, aged 21 years. He could not give a satisfactory account of what he was doing in the bush alone without being a nomad or having any reason to be in there. Further investigation revealed that he was one of the suspects on the run who is part of the syndicates of Ibrahim Dan Alhaji Umaru who was arrested earlier in the year and his name has recurred in kidnapping-related cases.

“On February 22, 2025, the police (Special Squad) through the use of technical support arrested one Komolafe Sunday a.k.a Veego, aged 39 years. During interrogation, he confessed to being a motorcyclist who helped the kidnappers get food for their victims while in custody and received money based on the number of people kidnapped. He also served as a spy to inform them of movements along the road. The suspect led the police to Akunu-Akoko and two suspects, Umaru Abubakar Sanda and Yusuf Ahmadu, were arrested. Umaru Abubakar confessed to being the one who guarded victims in the forest when they were brought to base.

“Further interrogation led to the arrest of LekanTemitope a.k.a Legelege who is also a motorcyclist that worked for the kidnappers. In the same vein, on March 14, 2025, the police through coordinated intelligence-led policing arrested the duo of Ridwan Salisu, aged 45 years and Umar Isyaku, aged 19, at Ipele in connection with a case of kidnapping. A sum of N3,614,000.00 was found in possession of the duo. Salisu claimed the money was for POS. Investigation is ongoing to confirm if the money is a proceed of ransom paid by victims.”

The police boss also disclosed that four persons were arrested in connection with cases of cultism and vandalism in the state, noting that the arrest was made possible following the coordinated efforts of the anti-kidnapping unit of the command.

Afolabi said the suspects included Awosika Babajide (Eiye Cult), Michael Peter, (Eiye Cult), Kunle Akinwande (Aveh Cult) and Akintemi Akinwunmiju (Aveh Cult). He said they had all confessed to being members of the cult group.

“As part of the command’s efforts to rid the state of all forms of criminality, the command organised coordinated raids of areas in Ondo town through the Special Anti-Cultism Squad. The team busted various hideouts on March 15, 2025, where the following suspects were arrested.

On the suspected vandals arrest, the CP said, “On March 14, 2025, one Samuel Friday was caught by members of the public vandalising a transformer along Ilu-Abo, Ogbese area of Ondo State and handed him over to the police.

“During interrogation, he confessed to have been vandalising electrical transformers since 2016 and that he had been jailed three times before he was finally released in 2018. He however confessed that he did sell stolen electrical cables removed from uncompleted/abandoned buildings to one Alhaji Abubakar a.k.a Abu Shisha and one Alhaji Sheu Sabo residing in Akure, Ondo State.

“Efforts are ongoing to arrest the receivers.”

He disclosed that on Monday, March 18, 2025, a midnight patrol team at Adinlewa apprehended one Iyanu John (male), a suspect whose specialty was in stealing and destruction of public infrastructure saying the suspect was caught in possession of two stolen solar panels and was immediately taken into custody.

He said while investigation was ongoing, the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has suspended its canditate in the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State, Olugbenga Edema, and his running mate, Rotimi Adeyemi.

Edema and Adeyemi were suspended indefinitely along with a chieftain of the party, Isreal Ayeni, during the party’s State Working Committee (SWC) in Akure, the state capital.

According to the NNPP chairman in the state, Pastor Peter Olagookun, the suspension followed their purported involvement in anti-party activities as well as violation of the constitution of the party.

Olagookun further stressed that the Edema took the party to court without exhausting the party’s internal resolution mechanism.

The chairman of the party hinged the SWC decision on, “Suing in the name of the party without recourse to the appropriate stakeholders at both the state and national levels according to our party constitution”.

“Suing the party without exhausting the internal resolution mechanism as provided by the party’s constitution and involving oneself in anti-party activities.”

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has approved upgrading and converting the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, to a University of Agriculture and Agribusiness.

The conversion of the state Polytechnic came after the state government’s last administration reviewed the initial proposal to upgrade the institution to a University of Management Science and Technology.

Governor Aiyedatiwa announced the school’s conversion to the University of Agriculture and Agribusiness upon his assumption of office after the inauguration. He said the school would be the model for the state government’s agri-food security revolution initiative.

The Governor added that the government would set up a committee to work out the modalities for implementing the conversion while assuring that this would not negatively affect the current students and staff of the institution.

Also, the governor approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and a private investor to inject N15 billion into a youth-oriented agriculture initiative.

The MoU was an agreement between the government and AgroMall Discovery and Extension Limited to establish and operate the Young Ranchers Agricultural Cluster Development Programme.

The company will use 5 hectares of land in each of the state’s three clusters, with three higher institutions, including the newly upgraded RUGIPO, as host pilot beneficiaries.

The initiative will focus on practical farming for young people and practical training for agriculture and related operations students.

Aside from training of the students, each of the three institutions to be used as hosts also stands to benefit a percentage from the proceeds of the operations.

In a related development, Governor Aiyedatiwa has approved a Memorandum of Understanding with BBA Consult on developing and deploying secured ICT to enhance state resources planning and management and increase revenue generation.

This agreement, which aims to reform the internally generated revenue profile of the State, will be on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis.