A 60-year-old building materials trader has been abducted by armed assailants in the Monatan area of Ibadan, within Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The victim was reportedly seized on Saturday night while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that four masked men intercepted him at about 8:47 p.m. and forcefully took him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday through its Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, in a statement issued in Ibadan.
According to Ayanlade, the abduction was formally reported on May 2, 2026, at approximately 8:47 p.m., prompting an immediate response from security operatives.
“Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle,” he said.
He added that police teams promptly visited the scene and have since activated tactical operations aimed at rescuing the victim and tracking down the perpetrators.
The command assured residents that all necessary resources are being deployed to ensure the safe release of the abducted trader and to bring those responsible to justice.
The latest incident underscores growing security concerns in parts of Oyo State, particularly along less-policed routes and semi-urban corridors.
In March 2026, four individuals were abducted along the Igbeti–Kishi Road in Irepo Local Government Area, highlighting persistent threats in the northern axis of the state.
However, security agencies have also recorded notable successes in recent weeks.
Police operatives foiled a planned bandit attack at Elebe Village in Aleniboro, Atisbo Local Government Area, where two suspected gang members were neutralised following credible intelligence about an impending assault.
