The Oyo State Police Command has assured residents of Ilero in Kajola Local Government Area that efforts are underway to secure the release of two women abducted in the town last Wednesday.
The Commissioner of Police, Johnson Adenola, gave the assurance during a peace and security meeting on Monday with youths, traditional rulers, and stakeholders from Kajola and Iwajowa Local Government Areas.
Adenola confirmed that the police had arrested 11 suspects linked to recent criminal incidents in the area.
Of those arrested, seven are being held for alleged involvement in kidnapping, while four are suspected of participating in the murder of a farmer in a nearby settlement last Thursday.
“We are making steady progress in the case and are hopeful that the victims will be rescued soon.
The arrested suspects are already providing useful information, and we are closing in on the kidnappers,” the police chief said.
He urged local youths to suspend a planned protest over the abductions, warning that such demonstrations could be hijacked by criminal elements. Instead, he called for greater collaboration between residents and security operatives to improve intelligence-sharing.
To enhance security, Adenola disclosed that more officers from the Anti-Kidnapping and Monitoring Units had been deployed to the area.
Emphasising the need for cooperation, he said: “We must work together—police, local vigilantes, and other security bodies—to ensure lasting peace and safety in the area.”
The Elero of Ilero, Oba Wasiu Oyedele, decried the resurgence of attacks on farmers and the destruction of farmland, reportedly by suspected herders.
He said the community, known for its hospitality, is committed to peaceful coexistence and urged all residents, including non-indigenes, to uphold the town’s peace.
Speaking on behalf of the Fulani community, the Seriki Fulani, Mr. Muhamud Yusuf, condemned the violence, attributing many of the incidents to unfamiliar herders and criminal migrants.
He pledged the support of law-abiding herders and other residents in helping security agencies identify and remove criminal elements.
The meeting also featured input from leaders of the Miyetti Allah group, farmers’ associations, youth groups, Amotekun Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, local hunters, and other stakeholders.