Gunmen have abducted the Vice Chairman of Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Debo Farounbi, following an attack on Ora, a boundary community located along the Osun-Kwara border.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. on Tuesday when the assailants reportedly stormed the community, firing gunshots into the air and causing panic among residents.
According to local sources, the gunmen initially abducted four people, including Farounbi, two Fulani women, and another man. However, a swift response by security personnel and local vigilantes led to a fierce gun battle that forced the attackers to release three of the victims.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the abductors had begun moving their captives into the bush before encountering resistance from security operatives.
“Four people, including the Ifedayo Local Government Vice Chairman, Debo Farounbi, were abducted. But the military’s intervention forced the perpetrators to abandon three of them. They eventually escaped with Farounbi. Residents did not sleep throughout the night because of fear,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said security agencies had launched efforts to secure the victim’s release.
“One person was abducted. He is the Vice Chairman of the local government, Hon. Debo Farounbi. Immediately the incident happened, the military, police, and other security personnel responded. Efforts are ongoing to rescue him. For now, it is an abduction until we can establish that it is a kidnapping case,” Ojelabi stated.
Farounbi’s abduction marks the third major kidnapping incident reported in Ora within the last seven months, raising fresh concerns over security in the border community.
In December 2025, a retired customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, was kidnapped by suspected bandits in the area and later released after nearly four weeks in captivity following the payment of an undisclosed ransom. In another incident on February 1, suspected bandits reportedly invaded the community through the Kwara border and abducted two residents, who were also released after spending about four weeks in captivity.
Residents have expressed growing fears over the recurring attacks and called on authorities to strengthen security in the area.
A community leader identified as Thomas and a market leader, Mrs. Alarape, warned that continued insecurity could force more people to abandon the town.
“People are leaving the town, and more may leave unless urgent action is taken to secure us. The invaders are coming through our boundary with Kwara State,” Alarape said.
