Armed bandits stormed the Igbosi area of Idogun in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State in the early hours of Friday, abducting a nine-year-old boy and destroying two houses during the attack.
Residents said the assailants invaded the community around 1 a.m., firing gunshots indiscriminately to create panic and force people out of their homes. Amid the chaos, they reportedly vandalised two buildings before abducting the child and fleeing to an unknown location.
The kidnapped boy, identified as Oluwatobi, is the son of a local pastor, Isaac Olaosebikan.
A resident who spoke about the incident said many villagers fled into nearby communities after hearing the gunfire, fearing for their lives.
Confirming the attack, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security operatives had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers and were working to secure the boy’s safe release.
According to the police, the incident was reported at about 2:30 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, by Isaac Olaosebikan and Joel Owalekan, both residents of Ugbosi Quarters in Idogun.
Preliminary findings revealed that the armed men invaded the community around 1:30 a.m., shooting sporadically and causing widespread panic. During the attack, the gunmen forced their way into the residence of Olaosebikan. In an attempt to escape, he ran into the nearby bush, leaving behind his nine-year-old son, who was subsequently kidnapped.
Owalekan also reported that the attackers damaged his home while trying to gain entry. He managed to escape unharmed after fleeing the scene.
The police spokesperson said officers of the Ondo State Police Command, alongside operatives of the Amotekun Corps, were immediately deployed to the area and had begun a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
Security personnel have since been combing nearby forests and possible escape routes in a bid to locate the abducted child and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Ayanlade added that investigations were ongoing and that relevant evidence had been recovered to aid efforts to track down the perpetrators.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, has directed tactical units, intelligence teams, and other security personnel to intensify efforts toward rescuing the victim unharmed and bringing the kidnappers to justice.
The command, he said, is also collaborating with other security agencies and local vigilante groups to strengthen the search operation and ensure those behind the attack are arrested and prosecuted.
