Armed bandits have attacked the Idogun community in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, destroying two houses and kidnapping a nine-year-old boy identified as Oluwatobi, the son of a local pastor, Isaac.
The midnight raid took place in the Igbosi area of Idogun, where scores of gunmen stormed the community, set fire to buildings and whisked the child away to an unknown destination.
Two houses were destroyed during the invasion, while the gunmen abducted the child and damaged two other buildings before fleeing. Some residents who escaped the attack reported hearing gunshots and explosions as the attackers moved through the community.
The attack has thrown the community into panic, with residents fleeing into nearby forests and bushes to escape the violence. Local leaders have appealed to the Ondo State security agencies and the Nigeria Police Force to intervene urgently and rescue the abducted child.
Oluwatobi’s father, Pastor Isaac, is a well-known pastor in the community who has been serving the Igbosi area for several years. The family has been overwhelmed by the abduction and is working with community leaders and security agencies to secure the child’s release.
This attack is part of a series of kidnappings and armed raids that have been carried out by bandits in various parts of southern Nigeria, including Ondo State, Edo State and Oyo State, in recent months. Security experts say the rising wave of banditry in the region is linked to the proliferation of small arms and porous borders.
The total number of casualties from the attack is yet to be fully confirmed, but some residents have reported being injured during the attack. The Ondo State government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, though security agencies have been mobilised to the area.
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