|By Chinwendu Nwani
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered a military-backed rescue and protection operation in Ora and neighbouring border communities following a deadly bandit attack that left a community chief dead and a retired Customs officer abducted.
The governor gave the assurance after an emergency State Security Council meeting held Wednesday evening in Osogbo, describing the incident as a major security breach despite recent preventive measures.
The attack occurred on Monday evening in Ora town, Ifedayo Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly abducted Emmanuel Owolabi, a retired officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, from his residence. The assailants, said to be Hausa-speaking, killed a community chief identified as Dennis while fleeing into the bush.
Governor Adeleke commiserated with the people of Ora Igbomina over the incident and assured residents that security agencies were working jointly to rescue the abducted victim and prevent further attacks.
According to a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor confirmed that security forces had launched an intensive manhunt immediately after the attack.
“From the moment of the unfortunate incident, our security forces launched a rescue and protection operation. The police, Nigerian Army and DSS operatives have been combing the affected areas for the past three days,” Adeleke said.
He added that the operation remained sensitive, stressing the need to avoid actions that could compromise the rescue effort.
In a related development, the Osun State Police Command, acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has deployed tactical teams and Mobile Police (MOPOL) units to boundary communities across the state.
The governor disclosed plans to further strengthen security operations statewide, announcing that refurbished armoured personnel carriers would soon be deployed, alongside additional patrol vehicles to boost the capacity of security agencies.
He also revealed that the state government was reviewing the joint security patrol programme, which would be unveiled at a later date to enhance the protection of lives and property.
To prevent a spillover of criminal activities from neighbouring states, Adeleke issued fresh operational guidelines to the Amotekun Security Service, directing it to work strictly in coordination with the police.
He ordered an immediate operational meeting between police authorities and Amotekun leadership, warning that isolated operations would no longer be tolerated.
The governor also urged residents to limit late-night activities, especially during the yuletide season, noting that the attackers were targeting night gatherings.
Security agencies remain on high alert as efforts continue to rescue the abducted retiree and restore calm to the affected communities.
