Gunmen kidnap Osun local government vice chairman

Some gunmen attacked Ora, a community on the Osun/Kwara border, and kidnapped the Vice Chairman of Ifedayo Local Government Area, Mr Debo Farounbi.

Farounbi was taken around 10pm on Tuesday, along with three others, by the gunmen, who fired shots into the air, creating panic among the residents.

It was also reported that military personnel and local volunteers in the town fought back strongly, forcing the attackers to leave three of the abducted people behind.

The assailants took Farounbi after a heavy gunfight.

Some residents told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the attackers fired shots before going for their target.

One resident, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said the gunmen had “successfully moved those abducted in the town towards the bush.”

The resident said, “Four people, two Fulani women and two men including the Ifedayo Local Government Vice Chairman, Debo Farounbi were abducted. But the resistance put up by the military made the attackers abandon three people.

“They however went away with Farounbi. Our people did not sleep throughout the night. We are in serious fear. The incident happened around 10pm on Tuesday.”

When asked about the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed it.

“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 can prove that it is a case of kidnapping,” Ojelabi said.

Farounbi’s abduction marks the third such incident in the community in the last seven months.

The PUNCH reports that in December 2025, a retired Customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, was kidnapped by suspected bandits in Ora.

After spending almost four weeks in captivity, Owolabi was released in a community in Kwara State after an undisclosed ransom was paid.

Just weeks later, suspected bandits struck Ora again from the Kwara boundary on February 1 and took two other residents. They were also released after about four weeks in captivity.

Meanwhile, some residents who spoke with our correspondent about the recurring kidnappings in the community called for a stronger security presence to prevent further attacks.

A community leader, simply named Thomas, and a market leader, Mrs Alarape, expressed worries that more residents might flee the town.

“People are leaving the town. And more people may leave unless something urgent is done to secure us. The invaders are coming through our boundary with Kwara State,” Alarape said.