The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of a local government vice chairman, Hon. Debo Farounbi, in Ora community, Ifedayo Local Government Area. The incident occurred on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m. when armed men stormed the community and seized the official.
Police Response
Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi stated that security operatives immediately responded to the attack. “One person was abducted. He is a local government vice chairman, Hon. Debo Farounbi. Immediately the incident happened, the military, police and others responded. Efforts are in place to rescue the man. It is abduction until we are able to prove that it is a case of kidnapping,” Ojelabi said. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances.
Community Panic
Residents reported that the attack threw the community into panic as gunmen fired shots into the air. According to community sources, the attackers initially seized four persons, including Farounbi and two women, before attempting to move them towards Kwara State. However, a combined response involving security operatives and local vigilantes disrupted the operation, forcing the attackers to abandon three captives while fleeing with the vice chairman.
“Our people did not sleep throughout the night. Everybody was afraid because of the gunshots and the abduction,” a resident told Punch.
Rising Security Concerns
The abduction has heightened concerns over security along the Osun-Kwara boundary, where communities have repeatedly suffered attacks by kidnappers using forest corridors. Ora community has experienced several kidnapping incidents in recent months. In December 2025, suspected kidnappers abducted retired Customs officer Emmanuel Owolabi, who spent weeks in captivity before being freed. Two months later, gunmen returned and abducted two other residents.
Community leaders have called for increased security presence, citing the town’s vulnerability due to its location near forested border routes. AbdulAzeez Adewuyi, an Ondo State resident with relatives in Ora, told PREMIUM TIMES that recurring incidents have distressed the community. “Some people said they cannot live in those areas because of attacks on them. Some people even that lived there even moved out after simultaneous attacks early this year,” he said.
Broader Pattern of Kidnapping
The abduction adds to growing concerns about kidnapping and violent attacks across parts of the South-west, where criminal groups exploit remote forests and inter-state boundaries. Security experts warn that communities along state borders require stronger intelligence gathering, coordinated patrols, and closer collaboration among security agencies.
This incident follows the 15 May coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where terrorists kidnapped about 39 pupils and seven teachers. The captives have yet to be rescued or released. Additionally, last week, kidnappers abducted Busayo John-Paul, younger sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons in Ibadan. The victims were rescued by police three days later.
