ISUA AKOKO, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA — The Ondo State Police Command in southwestern Nigeria has confirmed the arrest of a suspect following the killing of a community youth leader in Isua Akoko, a town in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The victim, Ojo Abbey, widely known in the community as Obesere, was reportedly abducted by gunmen while returning to Isua from neighbouring Edo State, also in southern Nigeria. His death has raised fresh concerns about insecurity along the Ondo–Edo boundary.
According to community sources, the attackers kidnapped Abbey on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and took him into a forest after intercepting him on his way back from Ibilo, a town in Edo State. After days of uncertainty, his body was discovered on Saturday, February 28, 2026, in a forest in Igara, Edo State. Residents said the body was already decomposing when it was found.
A local resident identified simply as Tunji said that once the abduction was reported to the police, youths in the community joined forces with local hunters to organise search parties. They combed nearby bushes and forested areas in an attempt to rescue him before the tragic discovery was made.
The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the incident in an official statement issued on Sunday, March 1, 2026. He said a suspect had “been arrested and was currently in custody, assisting with ongoing investigations.”
He explained that the abduction was first reported at the Isua Divisional Police Headquarters at about 7:45 pm West African Time on Sunday, February 22, 2026. According to him, a resident had informed officers that Ojo Abbey had been taken by armed men suspected to be herdsmen while returning from Ibilo.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer immediately mobilised patrol teams to the scene. The victim’s vehicle, a Nissan Almera with registration number KJA 440 DB, was recovered and secured at the station.
“The command commiserates with the family of the deceased and assures the public that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be brought to justice,” the statement partly read.
The Commissioner of Police for Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, has ordered intensified surveillance and strategic security deployments across the affected communities and along the Ondo–Edo boundary. The move is aimed at preventing further attacks and ensuring that other suspects who may have fled are apprehended.
Okay News reports that the killing has sparked renewed anxiety among residents of Isua and surrounding towns, many of whom rely on inter-state travel for farming, trading, and other economic activities.
Reacting to the development, the Isua Youth Forum, a community-based organisation representing young people in the town, described the incident as evidence of worsening insecurity in the area. In a statement issued by its National President, Abimbola Oluwafemi, on Sunday, March 1, 2026, the group called on the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to intervene urgently.
“We use this medium to call on our dear Governor of Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for immediate intervention on this matter and on the general rising insecurity in the Isua environment and Akoko South-East at large.
“We also call on the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State and all relevant security agencies to ensure a thorough, transparent, and uncompromising investigation into this case.
“Every individual involved in this heinous crime must be identified, apprehended, and brought to book. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. The people of Isua and our local government area are watching, and we demand decisive action,” the statement added.
Authorities have said investigations are continuing, and further updates will be provided as more details emerge.
