The tragic death of Mr. Rauf Adeniji, a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Ondo State, has underscored the escalating insecurity plaguing Nigeria. Adeniji was abducted alongside Mr. Adesiyan, a Deputy Director at the National Assembly Commission, under the guise of a security alert. The kidnappers, posing as concerned citizens, lured them by claiming someone had jumped over their fence. Once the gates were opened, the assailants attacked and kidnapped them. During their captivity, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦250 million. Tragically, Mr. Adeniji died in the kidnappers’ den, reportedly due to the trauma and shock following the murder of Mrs. Adesiyan, who was killed in his presence.
This incident is not isolated. In June 2021, Hon. Bamidele Emmanuel Isibor, a 62-year-old APC chieftain and member of the state executive committee, was shot dead by suspected kidnappers while returning from a church program. Three others in his vehicle were abducted and later released after ransom payments.
Similarly, in January 2020, Mr. James Tolorunju Ajulo, an APC ward chairman, was kidnapped from his home in Akungba Akoko. The abductors demanded a ₦10 million ransom, but he was released after three days following a ₦2.5 million payment.
These incidents highlight the pervasive threat of kidnapping in Nigeria. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024 alone, there were over 2.2 million reported kidnapping incidents nationwide, with victims’ families paying ransoms totaling approximately ₦2.2 trillion.
The Ondo State government and security agencies are under increasing pressure to address these security challenges and protect citizens from such heinous crimes.