Twenty-two days after his violent abduction by suspected bandits in Ora, a boundary community along the Osun-Kwara border, the Vice Chairman of Ifedayo Local Government Area, Mr. Debo Farounbi, remains in captivity as negotiations over his release drag on.

Farounbi was seized around 10:00 PM on Tuesday, June 9, alongside three other individuals. Local sources confirmed that military personnel and local vigilantes stationed in the border town put up a fierce gun battle against the attackers, successfully forcing them to abandon the three other victims.

However, the gunmen managed to escape into the forest with the local government official.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a close family source revealed that the abductors initially used Farounbi’s mobile phone to contact his relatives, placing an initial bounty of ₦200 million on his head.

Following weeks of grueling negotiations, the kidnappers have reportedly lowered their demands, though the family is still struggling to meet the financial terms.

“It is true that they demanded ₦200 million. They used his mobile phone to contact his family. But after days of negotiations, the amount has been reduced to ₦50 million, but his family are still struggling to raise the money,” a family source stated. “There was a day the abductors took photographs of him and sent them to his relatives to put pressure on them. There is growing concern about his state of health.”
“But as of 7 p.m. on Tuesday, he had not been released. I don’t even think there are any active search-and-rescue efforts by the security agencies anymore.”

When reached for comment, the Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, maintained that the command is actively trailing the abductors. He noted, however, that the police are not privy to any backchannel ransom negotiations between the family and the bandits.

Ojelabi further disclosed that security forces made a breakthrough shortly after the incident, arresting two suspects hidden in the forest who have now been processed through the legal system.

“We are still working with the information available to us to secure the victim’s safe rescue,” Ojelabi stated. “Two people were arrested in the forest after the abduction and, following our investigation, they were charged to court.”
“The court has since remanded them in a correctional centre. We are working hard to rescue the victim.”