Police launch manhunt for abductors of APC chieftain in Ondo

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Ilaje Local Government Area, Mr Owoloemi Emorioloye.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, said on Sunday that detectives had begun a full-scale investigation into the incident.

Jimoh noted that details surrounding the abduction were still sketchy but assured residents that measures had been intensified to safeguard lives and property across the state.

The alarm was earlier raised by the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Mr Maurice Oripenaye, who disclosed that the politician was taken away by gunmen.

Oripenaye said the attackers stormed Emorioloye’s office in Igbokoda, the council headquarters, on Thursday, reportedly arriving in two Hilux vehicles. He added that the APC chieftain’s whereabouts have remained unknown since the incident, prompting fears among residents and party supporters.

Condemning the act, the council chairman described the abduction as a brazen attack on public safety and called for swift action by security agencies.

Oripenaye disclosed that the council had reached out to security bodies, including the police and other relevant agencies, to ensure a coordinated response.

He also appealed to members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that could hinder ongoing investigations.