Posted by Samuel on Sun 31st Aug, 2025 - tori.ng
In a statement, the state police spokesperson, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the victim was rescued unhurt after a fierce gun battle with the abductors.
Police in Ondo State have rescued Pastor Ayodeji Akesinro, a health worker at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, who was abducted by gunmen from his home in Upenme, Owo Local Government Area, around 7 p.m. on Thursday.
In a statement, the state police spokesperson, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, revealed how the man was rescued.
The police said the victim was rescued unhurt after a fierce gun battle with the abductors.
“Mr. Ayodeji Adebayo Akesinro, who was kidnapped on Thursday, 28th August 2025, by unknown armed men in Owo Local Government Area, was successfully rescued following a coordinated operation,” the statement read.
According to him, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, upon receiving the report, ordered that the victim “must be rescued at all cost.”
Acting on the directive, the Owo Area Command, working with the Divisional Police, operatives of the Command, and the Upenme Vigilante Group, launched a joint operation.
“The team, deploying credible intelligence, embarked on aggressive bush combing throughout Thursday and into Friday night. Their sustained efforts paid off when the kidnappers, confronted in a gun duel, were forced to flee, abandoning the victim,” Olayinka said.
He added that the victim was rescued without ransom, taken to FMC Owo for medical attention, and has since been reunited with his family.
The police spokesperson commended the gallantry of the operatives and the vigilante group, noting that their resilience and sacrifices were instrumental to the success.
“The Command will not rest on its oars but will continue to collaborate with state and non-state actors to guarantee the safety and security of all law-abiding citizens,” he assured.