Local vigilante groups, hunters, and volunteers in Ajowa Akoko,Ondo state are intensifying efforts in the community’s forests stretching to Kogi state to ensure that their kidnapped monarch is rescued alive.

Besides, the police and other security agents are working strenuously to ensure freedom for the abducted monarch.

It was learnt that an indigene of the town who is a senior military officer is also using his connection to comb the forest and rescue the traditional ruler alive.

The monarch,Oba Clement Omoola Jimoh was forcefully seized by unknown gunmen in his palace on Thursday night.

The suspected gun wielding kidnappers besieged the monarch’s residence around 10.15pm, on Thursday, and whisked the traditional ruler away to an unknown destination.

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A family source revealed through a telephone conversation, that the gunmen shot sporadically and destroyed the monarch’s main door to gain access into his residential building before perpetrating the act.
The source said upon getting to the residence, the gunmen knocked the door and realising that the occupants were not ready to yield to their request to willingly succumb, they shot at the main door and destroyed it completely.
He added that the gunshot pellets , were said to have pierced the door and wall into the living room, but said none of the occupants was hit or injured.

The source said the intensity of the gunshots had terrified the residents of the border town, as none of them could emerge from their residences for a rescue mission.

His words: “When they came, they surrounded the building and started ordering the monarch and other occupants to open the door and surrender willingly, but nobody answered. At this point, they started shooting .

“They destroyed the main door and entered. They terrorised Kabiyesi and his family members before dragging him out and took him away. None of the family members had been contacted, but we knew they were kidnappers”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Command, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami confirmed the development,while police from the Divisional Police headquarters at Oke-Agbe, headquarters of Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of Ondo State and other security agencies.

As at press time,there was no contact by the gunmen to the family on the possible ransom to guarantee freedom for the monarch.