The Ondo State Police Command has launched an intensive search-and-rescue operation following the abduction of a community leader by suspected kidnappers in Ode Oriya Village, Owo Local Government Area of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed on Sunday that,the victim, Mr. Adeniyi Adelana, 60, who is the Baale of Ode Oriya Village, was reportedly kidnapped at about 8:05 p.m. on June 13, 2026, when six armed men stormed his residence under the cover of darkness.
According to him, the attackers forcefully whisked the traditional leader away through a nearby bush path to an unknown destination.
Following a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of B Division, Owo, mobilised a combined team of police operatives and other security personnel to the scene. The area was secured while investigators carried out an initial assessment of the crime scene.
The police disclosed that the victim’s wife sustained a gunshot wound to her right hand during the attack. She was rescued and rushed to a medical facility, where she is receiving treatment and responding positively.
A comprehensive rescue operation has since been activated, with security personnel combing surrounding forests, bush paths and suspected escape routes in a bid to locate the abductors and secure the victim’s release.
The Command said tactical deployments have also been reinforced across the affected area and neighbouring communities to strengthen security and improve operational effectiveness.
Commissioner of Police Felix Ohagwu has directed all tactical units, intelligence assets and operational teams to intensify efforts toward the swift rescue of the community leader and the arrest of those responsible for the abduction.
The Command reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging members of the public to remain calm and provide credible information that could assist ongoing operations, even as they further pledged to sustain efforts aimed at combating kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
