Safety Concerns: Locals Demonstrate, Shut Down Major Road in Ondo

Tensions ran high in Ilu-Abo, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, as residents took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking the Akure/Owo highway in protest of the relentless killings and kidnappings plaguing their community. The protest was sparked by the murder of a local resident, who was fatally shot on his farm by suspected gunmen earlier that morning.

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The demonstrators, comprising mostly youths, effectively brought traffic to a standstill, leaving countless motorists stranded on the expressway, as they demanded urgent action from the authorities to address the spiraling insecurity.

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Brandishing placards bearing slogans such as "We Are Dying, Save Our Soul", "Mr Governor, Please Assist Us", "Our Children Are in Danger", and "We Cannot Go to Farms Again", the protesters made their desperation and frustration palpably clear.

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Joseph Adee, a local resident, voiced the concerns of his fellow protesters, stating that the incessant kidnappings and killings had made it impossible for them to tend to their farms, thereby crippling their livelihoods.

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The protesters issued a passionate appeal to the government to intervene and help restore security to the area, with Adee emphatically declaring that they would not disperse until Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa personally addressed their grievances.

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Commissioner of Police Adebowale Lawal attempted to reason with the protesters, urging them to clear the highway and allow for the free flow of traffic, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

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Lawal assured the residents that the police, in conjunction with the Amotekun Corps and other security agencies, were committed to ensuring their safety and protecting their property, and announced plans to deploy additional personnel and tactical units to combat the insecurity.

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The Commissioner of Police emphasized that the security agencies were fully aware of the residents' concerns and were working tirelessly to address the prevailing security challenges in the area, with a view to guaranteeing the safety of all residents.

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Lawal also paid a visit to the traditional ruler of Ilu-Abo, Oba Olu Falae, to brief him on the efforts being made by the security agencies to curb the rising tide of insecurity in the community.

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The Ilu-Abo community has been plagued by a series of violent incidents, including the recent kidnapping of a woman and a couple, as well as the fatal shooting of a businessman, which has created a climate of fear among residents.

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On Monday, Joseph Aladesuyi, the Secretary of Okeluju Local Council Development Area, was kidnapped alongside two others on his farm in Ilu-Abo by armed gunmen, further exacerbating the sense of insecurity in the area.