Tension has gripped Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State following the abduction of a health worker, Pastor Ayodeji Akesinro, by suspected gunmen.
Akesinro, a staff of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, was reportedly kidnapped on Thursday evening, August 28, 2025, around 7:00 p.m. at his residence in Upenme community.
Confirming the incident, a senior labour leader under the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) at the hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the matter had already been reported to security operatives.
Union Confirms Abduction
The NUAHP further confirmed the development in a statement shared on its official WhatsApp platform, describing the abduction as “distressing.”
The statement partly reads:
“I am writing to bring to your attention the distressing news of the kidnapping of our colleague and member, Pastor Akesinro, in his house at Upenme, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, at about 7 p.m. yesterday, August 28, 2025.”
The union vowed to take action, adding that health workers may declare a day of protest in Owo to demand the immediate and safe release of their colleague.
NUAHP’s Demands
The union listed three major demands:
- Immediate and safe release of Pastor Akesinro.
- Increased security measures in Owo and its environs to curb incessant kidnappings of health workers.
- Collaboration with security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.
The statement ended with a note of solidarity, saying:
“Injury to one is injury to all. Solidarity forever!
Growing Concerns Over Security
The incident adds to rising concerns over the safety of residents and health workers in Ondo State, particularly in Owo, which has witnessed a series of violent attacks and abductions in recent years.
As of press time, neither the Ondo State Police Command nor other security agencies had released an official statement regarding the kidnap.
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