By Onibiyo Segun
(Ode Oriya, Ondo State) – Armed men invaded a rural palace near Owo late Saturday, abducting a 60-year-old traditional ruler and shooting his wife, in an attack that adds to rising insecurity across Ondo State’s forest-linked rural communities.
Palace Under Siege in Owo Corridor
Gunmen stormed the palace of the Baale of Ode Oriya, Adeniyi Adelana, on the night of June 13, 2026, in a raid that residents say unfolded in minutes but left lasting fear in the community.
The attack occurred in Ode Oriya, a rural settlement near Owo with scattered farming hamlets connected by footpaths that cut through thick forest belts extending toward Ekiti State.
The area is located along a corridor increasingly associated with abductions, where limited road access and dense vegetation give armed groups cover to move undetected.
According to the police, and reported by The Sun, “about six armed men invaded the residence around 8:05 p.m., forced their way into the compound, and whisked the 60-year-old traditional ruler into nearby bush paths,” said CSP Abayomi Jimoh, Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command.
A local vigilante leader, Adewale Falade, told TruthNigeria that the monarch’s wife was also shot during the invasion.
“She sustained injuries to her right hand,” Falade said. “She was rescued and taken to a nearby medical facility where she is responding to treatment.”
The Ondo State Amotekun Corps confirmed it has joined the search-and-rescue operation alongside police and local hunters tracking escape routes through surrounding forests.
Police said a full-scale manhunt has been launched across adjoining communities.
Security Forces Expand Forest Sweep
Operatives from the Owo “B” Division, supported by tactical units and intelligence teams, have begun combing forests linking Owo to nearby communities.
Authorities described the incident as “a coordinated abduction carried out under cover of darkness.”
Security deployments have been reinforced along rural roads and bush paths often used as escape corridors after kidnappings.
Additional patrols are now active along routes connecting Owo to Ose County and deeper forest zones that stretch toward inter-state boundaries.
Officials urged residents to remain calm while maintaining vigilance and sharing intelligence with security agencies.
Rising Pattern of Rural Abductions in Ondo
The latest attack adds to a series of kidnappings and violent incidents across Ondo State in 2026, many occurring in rural or semi-isolated communities.
Recent cases include:
Security analysts say these incidents reflect sustained pressure on rural settlements located near forest belts, where response times are slow and armed groups can quickly disappear into dense terrain.
Expert Views: Shift in Targets
A Lagos-based security analyst, Dr. Emmanuel Oke, said the attack reflects a growing shift in how armed groups operate in rural Nigeria.
“Once attackers begin targeting monarchs in their palaces, it signals that traditional authority structures are now within operational reach,” he said.
He added that such incidents indicate coordinated networks testing state response capacity across forest-linked communities.
Another security analyst, Dr. Chidi Okafor, said evidence from field reports and recorded incidents suggests organized groups operating from forest corridors are responsible for many kidnappings.
“There are repeated patterns involving ransom videos, weapon displays, and coerced victim statements,” he said. “The question is when authorities will dismantle these forest bases.”
Political Tension Over Security Response
The rising wave of kidnappings has intensified criticism of government response strategies.
Activists argue that armed groups operating across multiple states have not been effectively contained.
They say official statements urging calm have not been matched by sustained operations to dismantle forest-based networks.
Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and former presidential candidate, has repeatedly criticized the government’s handling of insecurity.
“You cannot keep managing terror with speeches while communities are being emptied,” he said in recent remarks.
Forest Corridors as Operational Routes
Security experts highlight geography as a key factor in Ondo’s kidnapping pattern.
Owo State is situated along a strategic axis linking Ondo State with Kogi and Ekiti forest belts.
These dense corridors allow armed groups to move across state lines with limited detection, using footpaths that cut through thick vegetation.
Communities such as Ode Oriya, Idogun, and Ilu-Abo are surrounded by forest reserves that complicate pursuit operations once abductors retreat into the bush.
A serving military officer, Colonel Oluro Somda, told TruthNigeria that without sustained surveillance and coordinated inter-state operations, the corridors will remain active routes for kidnappers.
Growing Fear in Rural Communities
Residents across Owo and surrounding areas say the latest abduction has deepened existing fear.
Farmers are reducing visits to distant farmlands, while movement between villages at night has dropped sharply.
Churches, schools, and rural gatherings are also experiencing reduced attendance due to security concerns.
Community leaders are calling for permanent security presence and faster response capacity, warning that repeated attacks are weakening public confidence in state protection.
Conclusion: Search-and-Rescue Continues
As of Sunday, June 14, 2026, search-and-rescue operations were ongoing.
Police said tactical units, intelligence teams, and local security groups remain deployed across forest zones.
The abducted monarch remains missing, while his wife is receiving treatment for gunshot injuries.
Authorities say efforts continue to track the kidnappers through coordinated operations across surrounding communities.
For now, Ode Oriya joins a growing list of rural settlements in Ondo State affected by recurring abductions that continue to strain security capacity.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
