Two Ondo farmers abducted; security forces launch search

Two farmers were abducted in Ondo State along the Oke-Ifira/Idogun forest axis in Akoko South-East. A relative disclosed during a radio program that the kidnappers were demanding a N10 million ransom, while police said reports of a ransom were not confirmed and a missing persons case had been filed. A multi-agency search-and-rescue operation, including the police, army, Amotekun, local hunters, Agbekoya, and community volunteers, has been deployed to locate the victims. Some reports portray the incident as a coordinated ambush reflecting a broader pattern of rural banditry threatening Nigeria’s agricultural heartland, with families under mounting pressure. Other accounts emphasize the attackers’ apparent local knowledge and the swift, tactical nature of the abduction. The incident highlights ongoing insecurity in rural farming areas and the need for sustained, coordinated response to protect farmers and stabilize food production.