Gunmen Storm Palace,Kill Ondo Monarch in Failed Abduction Attempt

​AKURE – The peaceful community of Agamo in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State was plunged into mourning on Wednesday evening following the brutal murder of its traditional ruler, Oba Kehinde Jacob Falodun.

​The monarch, the Alagamo of Agamo, was reportedly targeted by a gang of approximately six to ten armed bandits who invaded his palace at about 7:10 p.m. Sources within the community revealed that the assailants intended to whisk the traditional ruler away to an unknown destination, but the operation turned fatal when the monarch reportedly resisted his abductors.

​According to the Olori (the King’s wife), who narrowly escaped the onslaught by fleeing into nearby bushes, the gunmen arrived through the Itaogbolu axis and opened fire indiscriminately upon entering the compound.

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​”They just came and started shooting. They were about ten; three stayed at the entrance while others came inside. I ran into the bush. They shot at me, but it did not affect me,” she recounted, adding that the attackers appeared to be speaking a local dialect from the northern region.

​Witness accounts suggest a harrowing struggle ensued. While some reports indicate the monarch was shot after a standoff, others state that when firearms seemingly failed to penetrate him, the assailants resorted to using a heavy object to strike him on the head. His lifeless body was later discovered a short distance from the palace.

​Police Launch Manhunt

​The Ondo State Police Command has officially confirmed the incident, describing it as a “heinous act.” Speaking on Thursday morning, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, stated that the command received a distress call from a community leader, High Chief Ajewole Clement, shortly after the attack.

​”Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), alongside tactical teams from the command, promptly mobilized officers in collaboration with local security outfits,” Jimoh said.

​The PPRO further disclosed that a combined force of the Amotekun Corps, Atuluse Security, and local hunters have been deployed to comb the adjoining forests and surrounding areas to track down the fleeing suspects.

​State of Insecurity

​The murder of Oba Falodun comes amidst a worrying spike in security challenges in the Akure North axis. Only recently, residents of neighboring settlements like New Town and Itaogbolu have expressed fears over the influx of armed groups in the area.

​As of Thursday morning, a heavy security presence remains in Agamo to prevent a further breakdown of law and order, while the palace remains a scene of grief and shock. The police have urged members of the public with “credible and actionable information” to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.