The worsening wave of violent crime across Oyo State has taken a grim turn with the reported killing of a pregnant woman allegedly abducted by suspected Fulani kidnappers, despite ongoing ransom negotiations.
This development came amid growing concerns over insecurity in parts of the state, where residents have repeatedly raised the alarm over cases of abduction, killings and attacks on rural communities, prompting renewed calls for decisive action from security agencies.
The incident, which has sparked outrage across the state, reportedly occurred in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling were allegedly seized during a midnight raid by suspected Fulani gunmen.
According to reports, the abductors initially demanded N300 million for their release before reducing the ransom to N150 million.
However, despite negotiations, the pregnant woman was allegedly killed alongside an individual who had taken ransom money to facilitate her release, while at least one victim was said to have remained in captivity.
The development triggered a furious reaction from Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who accused the kidnappers of unleashing terror on residents of the community and vowed that such acts would no longer be tolerated in his ancestral home.
Addressing Fulani leaders in Igboho in Yoruba, the activist expressed outrage over the killings and questioned how such an incident could occur in the town.
His words:”You can’t be kidnapping in my father’s land and expect me to keep quiet. I’m an original indigene of Igboho land.
“You kidnapped a pregnant woman, and the person who brought the ransom, you killed him and killed the pregnant woman, for what? In Igboho? You people are not even afraid of me in my father’s land?
“This should be the last, and it must end. My father has urged me to address you patiently. What I’m fighting in other people’s land, you can’t come here and be doing it in my father’s land.
“You people kidnapped a pregnant woman, killed the person who brought the ransom and left one person. You are not even afraid of God. It’s your boys that did the job.
“No, it’s the Yorubas they have been kidnapping, and it should not be like that. This should be the last, and let us stay in harmony.’’
Consequently, Igboho issued a two-hour ultimatum to Fulani leaders in Igboho, demanding the immediate release of the remaining victims.
“I give you people two hours to release the woman, her children and her sibling who were kidnapped in the middle of the night. If I don’t see them within the next two hours, we will meet.
“When we first tracked that number, it led us to Alhaji’s residence and they removed them from there in the middle of the night to Bani’s compound. They took them to Baale’s compound, where they currently are,” he added.
Rejecting any possibility of the victims’ family paying the ransom demanded by the abductors, Igboho insisted that Fulani residents should collectively shoulder the responsibility of securing the captives’ release.
“We don’t have any ransom to pay. You Fulani should raise that ransom among yourselves and pay because we don’t have such money to pay. They started from N300 million and brought it down to N150 million.
“Fulani should contribute the ransom and get the woman, children and her sibling released. If they are killed, we will have a problem,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the latest incident has further heightened anxiety among residents of Igboho and neighbouring communities, with many awaiting the outcome of the ultimatum amid fears that the already tense situation could deteriorate further if the remaining captives are not freed.
