The Regent of Akungba-Akoko community in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Princess Oluwatoyin Omosowon and three of her aides were on Tuesday kidnapped by unknown persons.
The kidnapped regent was coming from the 65th inaugural lecture of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA when the kidnappers ambushed her convoy on Owo-Oba Akoko Expressway.
The regent, whose community hosts the university was said to have been invited to the inaugural lecture by the university and was provided an official university vehicle which conveyed the regent and her aides before the unexpected occurred at about 3:30pm on Tuesday.
The official vehicle was said to have been intercepted by gunmen, after which, the occupants were led into a getaway car.
Following information received, the Police later recovered the university’s official vehicle where it was abandoned.
Two aides of the regent were reportedly found near a bush close to where the kidnappers dropped them off.
However, angry residents of the town took to the streets to protest the abduction of their traditional ruler.
Commercial activities were completely paralysed as shops, banks, government offices and markets were hurriedly closed down.
Reports had it that the authorities of the university have sent the students home to guide against the spillover of the protest to the institution.
The protesters blamed the university authority for the kidnap, saying adequate security was not provided.
While appealing to the mob, the caretaker chairman for Akoko Southwest, Mr. Wale Suru urged the protesters to be calm as the traditional ruler would soon be released.
Suru said that an emergency security meeting will be held to assess the situation and the report will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for immediate action on the release of the Regent and others.
The Ondo State Police Commissioner, Mr Isaac Eke, who visited the town, confirmed that two of the kidnapped persons have been released.
Eke assured that his men had been deployed to secure the release of the Regent. All State Security Service operatives had been put on alert to ensure the release of the regent who is in her 40s.
She is the third regent of the town after the death of the traditional ruler of the town Oba Adekanye Omosowon over 11years ago.
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