Residents of Ode-Irele, the headquarters of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, were thrown into panic on Tuesday night after suspected kidnappers abducted the wife of a prominent motorcycle dealer in the community.
The victim, identified as Mrs Morenike Falona, was reportedly taken away from her husband’s residence located on the outskirts of the town along the Ore Road axis at about 10pm.
Sources close to the family said the assailants, believed to be about six in number, stormed the residence and fired several gunshots into the air before forcefully taking the 35-year-old woman away.
A family source disclosed that the abductors had yet to establish contact with the victim’s relatives as of the time of filing this report, a development that has heightened anxiety among family members and residents.
A member of the local motorcycle dealers’ association, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed that neither the family nor members of the association had received any communication from the kidnappers.
He described the incident as disturbing, noting that the town had not witnessed a kidnapping case in several years. He appealed to security agencies to strengthen surveillance and improve the protection of lives and property across the state.
Reacting to the incident, the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Samuel Omapariola Odimayo, condemned the abduction, describing it as both unfortunate and alarming.
The monarch said the development posed a serious threat to the peace and security of the ancient town, stressing that criminal acts of such nature would not be tolerated.
He expressed concern over the safety of the victim and sympathised with her family, urging security agencies to intensify efforts towards securing her immediate release.
Oba Odimayo called for swift and decisive action to apprehend those responsible and restore public confidence in the safety of the community.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Jimoh Abayomi, said the command had commenced investigation and rescue operations.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, immediately ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to the area following the report.
He stated that a coordinated operation involving police personnel and other security stakeholders was ongoing to secure the victim’s release and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The command wishes to assure residents of Irele and the general public that all available resources are being deployed to resolve the situation. We urge members of the public to remain calm and provide credible information that could assist ongoing operations,” Abayomi said.
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