It is another sad day at Ifon town as its illustrious son has been killed by unknown gunmen.
Nelson Adepoyigi, the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward 5 chairman in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State who was kidnapped at his residence in Ifon few days ago, has been reportedly killed by his abductors.
The kidnappers however set free two individuals who reportedly took five million naira and food items to them as ransom to secure of Adepoyigi’s release.
The kidnappers had earlier reduced their initial demand from N100 million to N5 million alongside food supplies.
They made a fresh demand of N30 million to secure the release of the three captives which included; Mr. Adepoyigi and the two ransom bearers.
Confirming the killing of the APC chieftain, an Ifon community leader who spoke anonymously, said the corpse of the victim was yet to be located in the forest, saying the two ransom bearers have reunited with their families.
On their return home, the freed ransom bearers confirmed that the suspected kidnappers said they had shot dead the APC ward chairman.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olutokunbo Afolabi, said police could ascertain the killing but he has deployed special officers to Ifon to investigate the story flying around on social media.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman, Hon. Barr. Clement Kolapo Ojo, said
“While we are grateful that the two volunteers have now regained their freedom, it is deeply saddening and utterly painful that the life of Mr. Nelson Adepoyigi was brutally cut short by his captors”.
“The entire leadership and people of Ose Local Government mourn this tragic loss. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and political associates of the deceased”.
“His dedication to the progress of our party and the grassroots community will be forever remembered and honored”.
“We are now at a critical juncture where security challenges have become a serious threat to the safety and freedom of our people. Only a few days before this incident, another resident narrowly escaped being kidnapped while parking his motorcycle. This pattern of brazen abductions, even at the very gates of people’s homes, confirms that insecurity has taken a dangerous and intolerable dimension”.
In a statement, the Chairman, Hon. Barr. Clement Kolapo Ojo, is highlighting the following concerns:
1. The need for urgent intervention from security agencies across the board to re-strategize and respond promptly to intelligence reports.
2. Deployment of security personnel and infrastructure to vulnerable communities in Ose LGA and surrounding areas.
3. Improved surveillance, patrols, and community collaboration to detect and deter criminal elements.
4. Swift arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this heinous crime to serve as a deterrent to others.
5. Collaborative synergy between the Federal Government, Ondo State Government, and local authorities to strengthen security architecture in the region.
“The safety and well-being of our constituents are non-negotiable. We must not fold our arms while law-abiding citizens continue to live in fear and fall prey to kidnappers. Every life lost is a blow to the peace, growth, and stability of our communities”.
“The Ose Local Government, under the leadership of Hon. Barr. Clement Kolapo Ojo, is fully committed to working with all security stakeholders to ensure justice is served and that such acts of terror are never allowed to thrive again in our land”
“We urge our people to remain vigilant, promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest security post, and stand united as we work together to overcome this threat”.
