In Ifon, Ondo State, a chilling crime has shattered the peace. On Monday night, May 12, 2025, Hon. Nelson Adepoyigi, the vibrant chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 5, was ripped from his home by gunmen. The audacity of the act, storming his compound, beating him with sticks, and carrying him away has left the community in a state of fear and disbelief. This isn’t just a kidnapping; it’s a bold slap in the face of local security, and the details are as gripping as they are terrifying.
Picture this: it’s around 10 p.m., and Adepoyigi is parking his car after a long day. Suddenly, masked gunmen descend, their sticks swinging like weapons of chaos. His cries for help pierce the night, but before his wife can reach him, the gunmen vanish into the darkness with their prize. The scene, straight out of a crime thriller, has left Ifon residents locking their doors tighter. As one local told Leadership Newspaper, the kidnappers didn’t just take a man, they took the town’s sense of safety.
The kidnappers wasted no time. By Tuesday, they contacted Adepoyigi’s family, demanding a staggering N100 million ransom. That’s not pocket change, it’s a fortune that could cripple any family. The community, already on edge, is now buzzing with questions: Who are these brazen criminals? Why target a local political figure? Some whisper it’s a political hit, others say it’s just another grim chapter in Ondo’s rising kidnapping saga. Just months ago, seven travelers were snatched on the Benin-Owo-Akure road, a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability.
The Ondo State Police, led by DSP Olushola Ayanlade, are in hot pursuit. “We’ve launched a manhunt,” Ayanlade told The Nation, with officers, hunters, and even the Nigerian Army combing the dense forests along Ifon-Owo road. The Amotekun Corps, Ondo’s security outfit, has also joined the chase, vowing to bring Adepoyigi home. But time is ticking, and the pressure is on.
What makes this story hit home is Adepoyigi himself. He’s not some distant elite, he’s a local hero, a man who’s rallied his ward for the APC with charisma and grit. To his neighbors, he’s the guy who fights for better roads and schools, now fighting for his life. “It’s like they’ve taken one of our own,” a resident told Daily Post Nigeria. The fear is palpable: if a prominent figure like Adepoyigi can be snatched, who’s safe?
As the manhunt intensifies, Ifon remains a town on edge. Social media is ablaze with outrage and prayers. The police have urged anyone with tips to come forward, but the gunmen remain ghosts in the wind. Will Adepoyigi be freed, or is this another tragic statistic in Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis?
This isn’t just a news story, it’s a wake-up call. Ondo’s security lapses are glaring, and Adepoyigi’s fate hangs in the balance. Stay tuned as we follow this heart-pounding saga, hoping for a miracle in Ifon. For now, one thing’s clear: no one’s sleeping easy tonight.
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