Suspected armed men have reportedly kidnapped Prince Emorioloye Owoloemi, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State and Director-General of the Asiwaju Media Team, a political support group for President Bola Tinubu.
It was gathered that the abduction took place at about 9 a.m. on Friday at the Okonga/Olodo Junction in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
The gunmen were said to have arrived in two Hilux vehicles, stormed Owoloemi’s office and forcibly whisked him away to an undisclosed location.
His whereabouts remain unknown as of the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Hon. Maurice Oripenaye, condemned the attack, describing it as a serious breach of public safety and a threat to communal peace.
Oripenaye said the local council had activated security channels to ensure a prompt response, adding:
“We have immediately contacted all relevant security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Nigerian Army, and local security networks, to ensure a swift, coordinated response. We call on all stakeholders to provide useful information that could aid this operation,” he said.
He appealed to residents to remain calm and cautioned against the circulation of unverified information that could obstruct ongoing investigations.
The council chairman also stressed that Ilaje Local Government would not tolerate acts of violence, intimidation or lawlessness.
Confirming the development, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the command had commenced investigations, although details were still emerging.
He assured the public that “full-scale measures have been put in place to ensure the security of lives and property in the state.”
