Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as the Amotekun Corps, have rescued two young Fulani herders who were abducted by suspected kidnappers in a forest along the Ondo-Edo State boundary. The victims, identified as Abubakar Umaru and Adulahi Umaru, were reportedly tending cattle in the Owo axis of Ondo State when they were seized by their abductors and taken deep into the forest, according to a statement issued by the corps on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
The state Commander of the Ondo State Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, told journalists that the rescue mission was launched after the parents of the victims reported that the boys had failed to return home with their cattle. Adeleye explained that the incident stood out among the numerous rescue operations carried out by the corps because of its peculiar circumstances. "The briefing today is unique in the sense that, out of the hundreds of victims we have rescued, we singled out this particular case where two Fulani boys were kidnapped while grazing cattle in our local government," he said. "We moved into action immediately after their parents reported that the children who went out with the cattle had not returned home."
The Amotekun commander said the operatives first recovered the missing cattle before intensifying efforts to locate the victims. "First, we were able to retrieve all the cows. Thereafter, we went in search of the two boys who had taken the cattle out. When it became apparent that they had been kidnapped, our operatives combed the forest stretching from Ondo to Edo State, particularly the Abuja Forest located along the boundary between the two states," Adeleye disclosed. The operatives eventually traced the kidnappers' hideout and rescued the victims, while the suspects fled on sighting security personnel who had surrounded the area.
Speaking after regaining their freedom, Abubakar Umaru and Adulahi Umaru recounted their ordeal, saying the suspected kidnappers ambushed them while they were grazing their cattle in the forest and forcefully marched them to a remote location. The victims said they were held captive deep inside the forest under close watch by their abductors, who prevented them from escaping. They expressed gratitude to the Ondo State Amotekun Corps for responding swiftly to the incident, describing their rescue as timely and life-saving. They also thanked residents who provided useful information that led to the operation, saying they had feared they might never regain their freedom until the security operatives arrived and rescued them.
Adeleye commended residents for providing timely intelligence that aided the operation and reiterated the corps' commitment to safeguarding all residents without discrimination. "Ondo State Security Network Agency does not discriminate. A criminal, whether Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or Fulani, remains a criminal, and we will continue to deal with them accordingly," he stated. The successful rescue operation comes amid continued concerns over kidnapping activities in forests across parts of the country, with security agencies facing pressure to dismantle criminal hideouts and protect residents. The Amotekun Corps has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting all residents regardless of ethnicity, assuring that the agency does not discriminate in its operations.
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