By Mojisola Oladele
Monarchs in Osun State have called for immediate government intervention following a surge in kidnapping incidents across border communities.
The appeal was made in a Communique issued by the State Council of Obas and signed by the Elerinmo of Erinmo-Ijesha, Oba Michael Ajayi, after a meeting held in the Palace of Ooni of Ile-Ife.
The Council frowned at the increasing spate of kidnapping activities in boundary communities, hence the need to strengthen security coordination across neighbouring states.
The Communique states “Communities such as Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area have witnessed a troubling rise in abductions.”
The Monarchs cited the case of a retired Customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, who was kidnapped in December 2025 and reportedly held for about a month before regaining his freedom.
They urged security agencies to intensify surveillance, improve intelligence gathering and deploy adequate personnel to vulnerable locations.
The Council called the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to implement proactive measures aimed at protecting lives and property.
While reaffirming their support for lawful security operations, the traditional rulers appealed to residents to remain vigilant and assist authorities with credible information to curb the menace.
Edited by Taiwo Akinola
