Security operatives foil abductions as gunmen storm homes in Owo

Owo community, headquarters of the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, was at the weekend thrown into a state of panic following the invasion of the ancient community by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

The gunmen, who were fully armed, had stormed the home of a pastor and a family of four in different parts of the town in an apparent move to abduct the victims.

At Ojana axis of the community, six armed men invaded the home of Pastor Taiwo, the chairman of the community, at about 7:00 pm and attempted to whisk him away.

With the family of the pastor raising alarm, security operatives from B Division, Owo, swiftly arrived and foiled the attempted abduction after engaging the gunmen in a gun duel.

The gunmen were said to have fled into a nearby bush and abandoned the pastor, who was subsequently rescued.

Also, another gang of kidnappers at about 11:30 pm invaded the home of a 39-year-old, Daniel Ologun, in Gbegun community along Alhaja Camp, off Housing Estate, Owo, and shot him in the left leg.

After the shooting, the gunmen abducted his 34-year-old wife, Taibat, and their two children, aged four and two years, and moved them into a nearby bush.

With the residents of the community contacting security operatives, police personnel and those of the Nigerian Army were said to have given the gunmen a hot chase into the forests.

The victims were subsequently rescued unharmed in the early hours of Monday after they were abandoned in the bush by the kidnappers.

While confirming the incidents, the police spokesperson in the state, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed that intensive combing of adjoining forests has begun in order to track down the fleeing gunmen.

The PPRO commended the operatives involved in the rescue missions and reassured residents of the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.