The Kwara State Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Bayo Fabiyi, and two other persons have reportedly been abducted while attempting to secure the release of a kidnap victim in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday in the Oko-Irese area, has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of Kwara South.
Sources familiar with the development told our correspondent that Fabiyi, alongside a driver and another associate, embarked on a mission to deliver ransom allegedly demanded by suspected kidnappers holding a victim captive.
According to the sources, the abductors had requested N30 million, five motorcycles and three bags of rice as conditions for the victim’s freedom. The claim, however, could not be independently verified.
The trio was said to have travelled to a forested area along the Kwara-Kogi boundary, where the exchange was expected to take place.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ransom team complied with the kidnappers’ instructions and arrived at the designated location with the requested items.
However, instead of releasing the victim, the kidnappers allegedly seized the ransom bearers and whisked them away.
“They went to negotiate the victim’s freedom, but the situation took a different turn.
Since they left for the location, nobody has heard from them,” the source said.
Another source claimed that information that surfaced after the incident suggested the victim at the centre of the negotiations may have been killed before the ransom delivery team arrived.
The source added that those who embarked on the mission were unaware of the alleged development at the time.
Residents were further shocked by reports that Fabiyi had reportedly sought spiritual guidance before embarking on the assignment and was allegedly advised against proceeding.
It was also gathered that the matter was not immediately reported to security agencies, raising concerns over delays in official intervention.
When contacted, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the command had yet to receive any formal complaint regarding the alleged abduction.
“I am not aware of the incident because it has not been reported to the police.
Once the matter is officially reported, necessary action will be taken,” the police commissioner said.
The development comes barely five weeks after Fabiyi publicly expressed concerns over the growing wave of insecurity across communities in Kwara South.
Speaking at the time, the OPC leader advocated stronger collaboration between conventional security agencies and local security groups, arguing that community-based organisations possessed valuable intelligence that could assist in tackling criminal activities.
He had noted that local vigilante groups and the OPC were familiar with forest routes and movement patterns often exploited by criminals, stressing that their involvement could improve surveillance and rapid response efforts in vulnerable communities.
Fabiyi also attributed the rising insecurity in the region to weakened traditional structures, poor intelligence gathering and the limited integration of local security networks into broader security operations.