Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a poultry farm manager, Afolabi Ajayi, in the Imafon community of Akure North Local Government Area, Ondo State, in a brazen daytime attack that has heightened security concerns in the agrarian region. The assailants struck around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 27, 2026, as Ajayi stepped out of his vehicle at the entrance of his poultry farm, where he had come to supervise workers and assess operations. According to eyewitness accounts, armed men emerged from a nearby bush and, without warning, forcefully dragged him into the forest.
A family source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the kidnappers have yet to contact the family or make any ransom demand, leaving relatives and workers in a state of acute anxiety. “He came to the poultry farm this morning to check on the workers and how the farm was being run, but the gunmen rushed out from the bush and took him into an unknown destination in the forest,” the source said. The matter was immediately reported to the police, prompting a swift mobilisation of security operatives.
Confirming the incident in a telephone interview, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the command has been notified and has already deployed tactical teams to the area. “The command has been notified of a kidnapping incident at Ilado, where a farmer was abducted while working on his farm,” Jimoh stated. “In swift response, additional security apparatus, including tactical teams, have been deployed and are currently combing the surrounding bush to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and apprehension of the perpetrators.” He assured the public that all necessary operational strategies are being employed, with utmost priority placed on the victim’s safety, and promised further updates as the situation unfolds.
The abduction is the latest in a worrying surge of kidnapping incidents in Imafon and other communities within Akure North Local Government Area in recent weeks. It is also the second time a farm manager has been abducted in the area within a short period, prompting residents to call on the government and security agencies to intensify surveillance and improve security in the region. The trend reflects a wider pattern of insecurity affecting agrarian communities across Ondo State, where farmers and farm workers have increasingly become targets for criminal gangs seeking ransom payments.
While the police have launched a manhunt and are actively combing the forest, the lack of contact from the abductors has deepened the family’s distress. “He had only just arrived at the farm to supervise ongoing work when the attackers appeared and whisked him away into the bush,” another family source told The Source. As of the time of this report, no group has claimed responsibility, and police operations are ongoing.
Residents of Imafon have expressed growing fear over the deteriorating security situation. Many have called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take urgent steps to secure the area, including the creation of a dedicated police post in the community. Community leaders also urged the state government to consider deploying special anti-kidnapping squads to agricultural zones, where workers are often isolated and vulnerable. The Ondo State Police Command has assured the public that it will not rest until the victim is rescued and the perpetrators arrested. “The safety of the victim remains our top priority,” Jimoh reiterated.
As the search continues, the abduction of Afolabi Ajayi serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat of kidnapping in Ondo State’s rural farmlands. For now, his family and the wider Imafon community wait in anguish, hoping for a swift and safe resolution.
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