Gunmen have kidnapped Pastor Ayodeji Akesinro, a staff member of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, Ondo State, from his home in Upenme, located in the Owo Local Government Area.
The attackers reportedly stormed his residence around 7:00 PM on Thursday and took him away at gunpoint.
A senior official of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), to which Akesinro belongs, confirmed the incident, noting that it has been reported to security agencies who have begun investigating.
The abduction has triggered outrage among his colleagues and the wider medical community, prompting the NUAHP leadership to release a statement expressing deep concern over the situation.
The union, which hinted at a potential declaration of a day of protest in Owo to demand the immediate and safe release of their colleague, stated in a message circulated to its members that “I am writing to bring to your attention the distressing news of the kidnapping of our colleague and member, Pastor Akesinro, in his house at Upenme in the Owo local government area of Ondo State at about 7 pm yesterday, the 28th of August, 2025.
“As a union, we have always stood strong in advocating for the welfare and security of our members. In light of this unfortunate event, members of NUAHP may need to declare a day of protest in Owo to demand the immediate and safe release of Pastor Akeshinro.”
The union further listed its demands, which include the immediate and safe release of the victim, tighter security in Owo and its environs, and collaboration with security operatives to apprehend those behind the abduction. Injury to one is injury to all. Solidarity forever.”
While reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, stated that the police, in collaboration with local hunters, are on the trail of the suspects to rescue the victim.
He said: “The Area Commander, the DPO and local hunters within that vicinity combed the bush throughout the night. I want to appreciate the local hunters there for at least giving support to the Nigeria Police in their bid to rescue the victims.
“I can assure you, all the kidnappers will be arrested. But we want to go beyond that. We want to be proactive and not reactive. I can assure you, we are going to rescue the man (victim) and reunite him with his family.”
The police commissioner also disclosed that measures are currently being designed to curb the rate of kidnappings in the state.
“Thankfully, the Executive Chairman of Owo Local Government came up with the idea of the Owo security network. They were trained by the police, and some are still undergoing training. My intention is to deploy them after they finish training. They know the community better than us, and we want to work with them.
“The Governor of Ondo State, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, promised to assist us with drones. We are still waiting for him to assist us. Security is not exclusively the responsibility of the police; it starts from our house.
“We are doing everything humanly possible to nip it in the bud. What they do is identify soft targets and go into their various homes and pick them. We are collaborating with other security agencies and non-state actors.”