Residents of Akure, Ondo State, staged a protest on Tuesday to demand action over the kidnapping of nine surveyors in the Owode Ilu-Abo area of Akure South Local Government.
The victims, all natives of Akure, were reportedly abducted by armed men while carrying out their work at a site last week.
Family members and concerned community members led the demonstration, blocking Oba Adesida Road with placards and disrupting traffic as they called on security agencies to intervene.
Comfort Afolabi, whose brother is among those kidnapped, revealed that the abductors initially demanded N50 million in ransom but later increased it to N100 million.
“We have begged them, but they insist on receiving the full payment before releasing our loved ones. We feel helpless and need the government’s intervention,” she said.
This incident adds to the rising cases of abductions in the state, including a recent case where a farmer and his manager were kidnapped while returning from their farm in Oba Ile.
Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, acknowledged the security concerns and admitted that a lack of resources had impacted police operations.
“Kidnapping is a serious challenge, and we are making every effort to tackle it. However, better logistics and resources are essential for us to improve our response,” he stated.