The border town of Ora, straddling the Osun–Kwara boundary, was thrown into chaos as gunmen stormed the community, abducting a retired Customs officer and killing a local chief. The brazen attack has left residents terrified and questioning the effectiveness of security in the region.

Eyewitnesses describe a scene straight out of a nightmare: heavily armed men invaded Ora in broad daylight, firing indiscriminately and sending villagers fleeing for their lives. The target? Emmanuel Owolabi, a retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, who was dragged from his home in a violent abduction that has sent shockwaves through the area.

Owolabi’s wife, Titilayo, recounted the terrifying ordeal to reporters, painting a picture of a community under siege. She revealed that her husband had just visited her shop before heading out, only for gunfire to erupt near their home minutes later. “I thought it was hunters at first, but the gunshots kept coming. Then I heard my husband’s voice outside,” she said, still visibly shaken.

According to Titilayo, the attackers were young, aggressive, and communicated in Hausa. Her desperate attempts to reason with them were met with violence, as she was beaten and threatened for money. The gunmen showed no mercy, whisking her husband away on a motorcycle as they continued to fire shots, leaving the family and the entire community in fear for their lives.

The violence didn’t stop there. As the criminals made their escape, they encountered a village chief, Dennis, who was returning from his farm. Without hesitation, the gunmen shot him dead, adding murder to their list of crimes and plunging Ora into deeper mourning.

The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the incident, but their assurances have done little to calm nerves. Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi claimed that operatives and local volunteers are “working hard” to rescue the victim, but residents remain skeptical, citing repeated failures to prevent such attacks in the past.

“Immediately the incident happened, police operatives and other volunteers chased after the gunmen. We are working hard to rescue the victim. One person was shot, but not within Osun. Where they killed him falls within Kwara State,” Ojelabi stated, in what many see as an attempt to deflect responsibility.

The attack has reignited calls for urgent action to address the rampant insecurity plaguing border communities. Locals are demanding increased patrols and real protection, not just empty promises from authorities. Many fear that if nothing is done, Ora and similar towns will remain easy targets for criminals.

As the search for Emmanuel Owolabi drags on, his family and the entire community are left clinging to hope, even as they mourn the senseless killing of Chief Dennis. For now, Ora remains gripped by fear, a stark reminder of the growing insecurity that continues to threaten lives and livelihoods across Nigeria’s rural heartlands.